The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques announced its full readiness to welcome the holy month of Ramadan 1447 AH, through the launch of a comprehensive operational plan aimed at facilitating the performance of rituals for pilgrims. This plan comes as part of the early preparations undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure the provision of the highest quality services to Umrah pilgrims and worshippers at the Two Holy Mosques.
Strategic context and importance of the Ramadan season
The month of Ramadan holds paramount importance on the annual agenda of the General Presidency for Religious Affairs and the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques, as the Two Holy Mosques witness the peak of human influx from across the Islamic world. These preparations align with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to increase capacity and enhance the visitor experience, reflecting the Kingdom's leading role in serving Islam and Muslims. The success of this plan is expected to contribute to strengthening the Kingdom's civilized image and showcasing its technological and administrative advancements in managing millions of pilgrims.
The three pillars of the operational plan
The announced plan is based on three main pillars to ensure efficient performance:
- Asset and facility management: Ensuring that all infrastructure is ready.
- Operational and maintenance efficiency: Ensuring uninterrupted service continuity.
- Integrated coordination: Joint work with relevant security and service agencies.
These axes together aim to enrich the spiritual experience of the visitors, and ensure the smooth flow of movement during peak times, with a focus on speed of decision-making and flexibility in dealing with field variables.
Smart technologies and new enrichment services
In a move reflecting its digital transformation, the Authority adopted a package of high-quality projects for this season, most notably the activation of interactive 3D maps to facilitate visitor access to facilities, and the launch of digital crowd counting systems using precise sensors to support organizational decision-making. The "Rased Reports" service was also introduced for rapid response to feedback, and interactive information screens were upgraded to operate in five international languages.
Infrastructure and logistics
Technical teams worked to enhance the reliability of the electricity and power systems, ensure the efficiency of air conditioning and lighting systems, and verify the readiness of escalators and elevators. Preparations included intensifying cleaning and sanitization operations according to the highest environmental standards. Regarding Iftar meals for those fasting, a precise governance plan was implemented for distributing Iftar meals, in conjunction with the national "Ihsan" platform, to minimize food waste and maintain high hygiene standards.
Crowd management and spatial guidance
The plan allocated significant resources to crowd management by enhancing spatial guidance through mobile teams equipped with simultaneous translation devices, and organizing pathways and prayer areas to ensure smooth movement. The Itikaf experience and luggage storage services were also improved, and operational procedures between Mecca and Medina were standardized to provide a unified and exceptional experience for visitors.
The Authority concluded its announcement by emphasizing that the plan takes into account all peak times and operates at maximum capacity, relying on a qualified human cadre and long-standing accumulated expertise, in implementation of the wise leadership’s directives to harness all capabilities to serve the pilgrims of the Two Holy Mosques.
