Details of the luggage storage service at the Grand Mosque to facilitate the rituals
The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques announced the launch of a luggage storage service at the Grand Mosque in Mecca for visitors and worshippers. This strategic step comes as part of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to facilitate religious practices and enable pilgrims and worshippers to perform their rituals with ease and peace of mind, without the burden of carrying their personal belongings during Tawaf, Sa'i, and prayer.
General context and historical development of services at the Grand Mosque in Mecca
Throughout history, the Grand Mosque in Mecca has witnessed the arrival of millions of Muslims from all corners of the earth. In the past, carrying luggage and bags posed a significant challenge for pilgrims, leading to overcrowding and obstructing movement in the corridors and courtyards, in addition to being a physical burden. With successive Saudi expansions, culminating in the Third Saudi Expansion, the wise leadership has focused on finding radical and innovative solutions for crowd management and providing advanced logistical services. The luggage storage service is a natural extension of this development, transforming services from individual efforts into a comprehensive institutional system based on meticulous organization to ensure the safety and comfort of those visiting the Grand Mosque.
Baggage drop-off and pick-up locations in the Grand Mosque
The authority explained that the service allows visitors to drop off their luggage at designated and carefully distributed points at several main entrances to the Grand Mosque. These entrances include:
- King Abdulaziz Gate (No. 1).
- Chapter on Umrah (No. 62).
- King Fahd Gate (No. 79).
- King Abdullah Gate (No. 100).
Work mechanism and beneficiary data: At these points, the beneficiary's data is accurately recorded by the competent staff, and he is given an official receipt that guarantees that he can retrieve his belongings later easily and safely.
After completing the rituals, the beneficiary can collect their belongings from the storage centers located in the outer courtyards of the Grand Mosque, which have been strategically located for easy access, and include:
- Locations behind restrooms number 6.
- Next to restroom number 2.
- A location in the eastern square next to the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Library.
- Location in the third Saudi expansion, in front of gate 104.
The importance of the event and its expected impact on the pilgrims
This service has wide-ranging positive dimensions and effects:
At the local level: The service directly contributes to improving the flow of movement within the corridors and courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, reducing traffic congestion for pedestrians, raising the level of public cleanliness, security and safety, and relieving the burden on security personnel and organization staff.
At the regional and international levels, this measure reflects the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030, which aims to host millions of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims annually and provide them with the highest quality services. Providing such free services leaves a positive impression on Muslims from around the world and enhances the positive image of the efforts made to serve the Two Holy Mosques.
An integrated system to serve the guests of God
The authority affirmed that this service is part of a comprehensive system of services provided to pilgrims, aimed at enhancing their comfort and improving the quality of their experience within the Grand Mosque. The authority encouraged all visitors to utilize this service, emphasizing its ongoing commitment to developing services that ensure the highest levels of comfort and peace of mind for those visiting the Holy Mosque.
