The General Traffic Administration will use helicopters to monitor the flow of traffic in main cities especially during peak hours, said Major General Sulaiman Al-Ajlan, Director General of the Traffic Administration. Al-Ajlan made the comment at a press conference in Makkah Tuesday. He said a committee has been assigned to draw up traffic plans to reduce congestion in Makkah during Ramadan, Haj and throughout the year. He praised the media, particularly the print media, for helping to inform Umrah pilgrims about the traffic plans. He said pilgrims have responded positively to the plans. He added that the traffic authorities also recently agreed to implement a suggestion from a journalist to shift the Al-Sharai checkpoint because of inconvenience to residents. He said the traffic police have set up 10 impounding centers. A total of 274,690 vehicles have been impounded at the centers overlooking Makkah. Al-Ajlan said that Hafil Transport Company will join SAPTCO for the first time this year as a transport provider. Other companies will enter the market next year. In addition, on Friday, the city's regular bus service will be operational from all directions. There will be 800 buses to pick up Umrah pilgrims and visitors throughout the last 10 days of Ramadan. He added that there are special plans for Ramadan 27 and 29 to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. __
