Ali Bin Gharsan Okaz/Saudi Gazette MINA — Minister of Haj Dr. Bandar Al-Hajar said the ministry would apply strict fines and penalties on any Tawafa establishment, local Haj company or officials within the ministry and individual or company that violate Haj regulations, stressing that any mistakes that harm the guests of Allah will be dealt with strictly. During an interview at the ministry's headquarters in Mina, Dr. Al-Hajar said the ministry, following an agreement with local Haj companies, will keep 50 percent of pilgrims in Mina on Monday and won't let them go to the Grand Mosque in order to control the rush. A unit specifically set up for this purpose, which is run by 1,500 employees, will make sure half of the pilgrims stay in Mina all Monday long, Dr. Hajar said. The next big challenge for the ministry is the number of local pilgrims who try to sneak into the Holy Sites without Haj permits and squat on roads. Those numbers can disrupt the ministry's plans in terms of organization. “As a ministry, we're worried about the fluctuating number of pilgrims without Haj permits. One year the number is up, another it is down,” Dr. Hajar said. Squatting on streets poses great concern to the ministry, which is conducting a comprehensive study of the issue to arrive at a solution. The ministry will set up seven smart electronic gates in the entry points of Makkah to prevent pilgrims violating Haj regulations and reaching the Holy Sites. Once the study is ready, , it will be sent to higher authorities for final approval. “When the development projects for Haj are over in the next few years, the number of pilgrims who can come to Makkah will jump to seven million every year,” he said. He noted the ministry is conducting studies to expand Mina, which currently can accommodate 1,400,000 pilgrims only, and turn into a place that can accommodate between 4-5 million pilgrims in the future. All studies focus on building buildings on the plains of Mina after, of course, getting official approval from the Senior Board of Scholars, for the project.
