MAKKAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah directed companies and establishments that are licensed to provide services for domestic Hajj pilgrims to adhere to the timing with regard to serving meals for the pilgrims during the forthcoming Hajj. The ministry has revealed the timing for the distribution of meals among the domestic pilgrims at the Holy Sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah during the Hajj, saying that the pilgrims are entitled to get compensation in the event of delay in serving meals. The ministry explained that the time for serving breakfast on the day of Arafat begins after the dawn (fajr) prayer until 10:00 in the morning, and the time for serving lunch on the day of Arafat starts from 1:30 pm until 3:30 pm while the dinner at Muzdalifah will be served immediately after the arrival of pilgrims from Arafat. The ministry said that the provision of meals on the Day of Tarwiyah (Dhul Hijjah 8) and the Days of Tashreeq (Dhul Hijjah 11, 12, and 13) will be as follows: breakfast from 5:00 am until 10:00 am; lunch from 1:30 pm until 3:30 pm, and dinner from 8:30 pm until 11:30 pm. The ministry confirmed that pilgrims will be compensated in the event of a delay in serving meals after the lapse of the serving times announced to the pilgrims by the establishments. The compensation amount can be doubled from the estimated value when the specified corrective period is exceeded. The pilgrim will be compensated five percent of the value of the total package in the event of a delay in serving lunch on the day of Arafat, and three percent, not more than SR100, in the event of a delay in serving meal at Muzdalifah, three percent of the package value, not more than SR300, in the event of delay in serving lunch on Eid al-Adha (Dhul Hijjah 10), and three percent of the package value, not more than SR200, for the rest of the meals on other days. The ministry also announced compensation in the event of failure in serving meals at the Holy Sites during the Hajj. The service provider shall provide the following compensation: five percent of the value of the total package if there is a delay in serving lunch on the day of Arafat:; five percent of the value of the package, not exceeding SR200, for the delay in serving meal at Muzdalifah; five percent of the value of the package, not exceeding SR500, for failure in serving lunch on the Eid Al-Adha, and three percent of the value of the package, not exceeding SR300, whichever is higher, for the rest of the meals on other days of Hajj. If the domestic pilgrims are provided with meals, contrary to the provisions of the contract, this matter shall be addressed within two hours, and the pilgrim is compensated with the following specified amount. One percent of the total package value for Arafat lunch meal, one percent of the package value, not more than SR50, for Muzdalifah meal, one percent of the package value, not more than SR100, for delay in serving lunch on10th Dhul Hijjah and one percent from the value of the package, not more than SR50, for rest of the meals on other Hajj days.
