Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The government has taken strong measures not allowing Umrah pilgrims overstaying their visas, Haj Minister Bandar Al-Hajjar said here Friday. His ministry, Al-Hajjar said, issued 5.2 million Umrah visas this season declaring the operational plan for the Umrah season as "successful." The ministry, he said, is closely coordinating with all pertinent sectors and government agencies to ensure that no single Umrah pilgrim overstays his/her visa. The ministry is also working round-the-clock to provide Umrah pilgrims with all necessary services to ensure they perform their rituals comfortably. “This season, the ministry's guides were able to help 25,000 pilgrims who got lost and did not know how to return to their accommodations,” Al-Hajjar added. All Umrah companies have been instructed to provide Umrah pilgrims with agreed-upon services and have been warned that severe penalties will be imposed on violators. The ministry has assigned committees to monitor the performance of these companies and refer violators to investigation. The extensive monitoring visits have reduced the number of violations this season. Al-Hajjar reiterated the ministry's commitment to remove all obstacles preventing the pilgrims from performing their rituals in ease and comfort. He said the ministry reduced the number of visas for Umrah pilgrims this year due to the development projects being implemented in the Two Holy Mosques, stressing that the ministry also extended the deadline for Umrah this year up to 15th of Ramadan in order to allow more people to come to Makkah and Madinah. Meanwhile, economists say they expect Makkah malls, especially those located near the Grand Mosque, to make SR150 million in sales. Although the central, northern, and western areas of the Grand Mosque do not have any malls, the nearby shopping areas like Al-Jafriyah and Al-Otaibiya have seen an influx of Umrah pilgrims.
Some businesses, especially those selling perfumes and clothes and textiles, have been doing brisk business since the first day of the holy month.
