JEDDAH – The Jeddah Municipality has warned restaurants and coffee shops inside the Haj and southern terminals at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport of violating municipal health regulations. The municipality said that fines and possible closures would be the penalty violators receive. An official at the municipality said that 14 supervisory teams have already started their daily investigative rounds as part of the Haj season plan. He explained that these rounds started a month ago and will continue until the end of the season, according to the Arabic daily Makkah. He said, “These rounds include visits to coffee shops and restaurants inside the KAIA terminals, restaurants located at hotels, furnished apartments and amusement parks. We have to make sure they all comply with the municipality's regulations.” The municipality announced the completion of its plan for the Haj season this year that aims at satisfying pilgrims through municipal services offered to them and responding to their needs. Jeddah Mayor Hani Abu Ras too participate in the round of checking that included southern and mobile slaughterhouses, fish, fruits and vegetable markets. According to the municipality's media center, the plan targets locations that experience large crowds of pilgrims in airport terminals, the pilgrims' city, the seaport, Al-Haramain and Al-Hijra streets, shopping centers, hotels, furnished apartments, and amusement parks. The municipality stated, “Health and hygiene monitoring tasks are intensive this year. Our focus will be in areas where pilgrims convene such as parking lots, public transportation, mosques and touristic areas.” The municipality also noted intensive pesticide spraying operations in mosques, public toilets, shopping centers, slaughterhouses and Eid prayer areas. The municipality works closely with coordination committees inside the Haj terminals at the airport that are formed by members of the Civil Defense, Airport Police, Passport Department, Haj Ministry, Social Affairs Ministry and Airport Administration. Municipality spokesman Mohammed Al-Bugami said, “Our supervisory teams are working diligently keeping a close eye on restaurants and gas stations on highways to make sure they fulfill health and safety measures.”
