US filmmaker in legal battle over 'Downton Shabby'    RFK Jr 'endangering' Americans, say former CDC bosses    Google will not be forced to sell off Chrome or Android, judge rules in landmark antitrust ruling    Chloe Malle to become top editor at American Vogue    Commercial stores can now apply for National Day discount licenses    Crown Prince to patronize inaugural Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on September 29    Crown Prince, Macron to co-chair two-state solution conference in New York    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Sudan over Jebel Marra landslide disaster    Saudi parents more engaged in co-play than global peers, Ithra study finds    489 Nissan Patrol vehicles recalled for control unit defect    New draft regulations permit ads inside taxi cars    Al Qadsiah sign German midfielder Julian Weigl to strengthen defensive midfield    Al Ahli secure Flamengo starlet Matheus Gonçalves in long-term deal through 2027    Al Hilal sign Turkish defender Yusuf Akcicek on €22m deal until 2029    Saudi Cabinet condemns any actions that jeopardize two-state solution    95% of workers in Saudi Arabia enjoy basic healthcare services    Dances With Wolves star Graham Greene dies aged 73    Crown Prince and Palestinian Vice President discuss latest developments in Palestine    SFDA approves rapid biotech test for early Alzheimer's detection    Saudi Arabia officially documents 123 years of football history    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



250,000 Umrah pilgrims to be allowed in second phase
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 12 - 10 - 2020

RIYADH — As many as 250,000 domestic pilgrims will be allowed to perform Umrah in the second phase as part of the gradual resumption of the pilgrimage and visits to the Two Holy Mosques from Sunday (Oct. 18).
Worshipers will also be permitted to visit Rawdah Sharif and the old mosque area at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah from Oct. 18 onward. The extensions and courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque had already been opened for worshipers for obligatory prayers effective from May 31 this year.
Hani Al-Omairi, a member of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that more than 600,000 worshipers will be granted permits to perform prayers at the Grand Mosque along with over 250,000 Umrah pilgrims during the second phase of the gradual resumption of Umrah service and visit to the Two Holy Mosques. Worshipers need to register through the Eatmarna App to obtain permits to perform Umrah as well as to visit the Grand Mosque and Rawdah Sharif.
Foreign pilgrims will be allowed to perform Umrah and visit the Rawdah from Nov. 1, which marks the beginning of the third phase of the gradual lifting of the temporary suspension of the service.
Al-Omairi, who is also a member of the Saudi Society for Travel and Tourism, said that it is not clear now how many countries will be allowed to send their pilgrims for Umrah due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in those countries. "All are expecting that the authorities would soon announce details of the countries from where pilgrims can come to perform Umrah effective from the third phase of the resumption of Umrah service," he said.
Al-Omairi noted that a mechanism has been worked out under which buses will be allowed to operate at not more than 40 percent of the capacity. Similarly, only two Umrah pilgrims will be allowed to reside in a single room and that is in total compliance with the precautionary measures against coronavirus.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in cooperation with the concerned authorities, received the first batch of Umrah performers, including citizens and expatriates on Oct. 4.
According to the strategic plan developed by the government agencies, the first phase of resuming Umrah witnessed small numbers that do not exceed 6,000 Umrah performers per day, and each batch is being allocated only three hours to complete Umrah rituals, allowing the application of this plan amid high-level precautionary measures.
As part of these measures, the Grand Mosque is being sterilized 10 times every day. There is sterilization before the entry and after the exit of each batch of pilgrims. The Zamzam water is being distributed to the pilgrims in packaged bottles.
The pilgrims are barred from approaching the Holy Kaaba and the Black Stone (Hajar Al-Aswad). The Tawaf (circumambulation around the Kaaba) is being performed outside the temporary barrier installed around the Kaaba in the mataf. Specialized medical teams are readied to serve the pilgrims. There are areas set aside for medical isolation in the event of any suspected coronavirus cases among the pilgrims.


Clic here to read the story from its source.