More than 6,700 security personnel would be helping the local police at different locations in Makkah particularly at peak hours,” Lt. Gen. Saeed Al-Qahtani, director of public safety said at a press conference at the Public Security Training City in Makkah yesterday. The plans, which got the approval of Interior Minister Prince Naif, include a ban on traffic on roads surrounding the Grand Mosque shortly before and after prayers, transporting pilgrims in buses from parking areas at city’s entry points to the Haram and assigning security tasks to patrol teams.

“We intend to ask pilgrims to park their vehicles outside the city at special locations and then go on to the Haram by public transport buses,” the security official said.

He added that policemen would supervise the operations at the bus stops so that pilgrims are taken to the Grand Mosque without delay or difficulty, he added.

To ensure smooth security operations in the courtyards around the Grand Mosque, the area has been divided into east and south zones. A special Haram Mosque security force with the support of security forces from Jeddah and Riyadh will take care of the eastern courtyard. Special emergency forces in Makkah will control the southern courtyard with the help of special emergency forces from Jeddah. These forces would also stop the entry of vehicles to the central zone before and after prayer times so that people can pray on the roads as well if required, the security director said.

He added that the Makkah traffic police would take care of the city traffic with the support of the reserve forces at the Public Security Training City in Makkah. The highways leading to Makkah will be patrolled by a special traffic police force and the regular road patrols.

“The plans being implemented during the Umrah season would also be considered for implementation during the upcoming Haj season. The same officers would be in command of the security arrangements during Haj,” the director said.


Arab News