About 7mn Umrah pilgrims are expected in Makkah and Madinah before and during the holy month of Ramadan this year.
Umrah pilgrims come through various ports, the most important ones being King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohamed bin Abdul Aziz airport in Madinah.
The kingdom uses all its powers to receive the pilgrims and facilitate all procedures until they reach Makkah and Madinah, the Saudi daily Arab News reported.
Mohamed Bejawi of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah in Madinah said this year Egypt ranked first in terms of the grant of 1,275,785 Umrah visas, Pakistan came second with 918,063 visas, Indonesia third (655,163), followed by India (436,000), Turkey (439,000), Jordan (343,000), Algeria (313,000), Malaysia (211,000), Iraq (183,000), Britain (77,000) and the rest of the world 695,000.
Abdul Wahid al-Hattab of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques reviewed the operational plan for Umrah season which is the responsibility of 5,000 employees in co-operation with all service directorates.
He said the presidency offers cool Zamzam water inside the Prophet’s Mosque and Grand Mosque.
He confirmed that prayer areas have been laid with good quality carpets inside and on the roof of the two mosques and that the areas are kept clean around the clock.
He said the yards of the Prophet’s Mosque have been provided with 436 fans to offer cool surroundings and 250 shades to protect pilgrims from the heat of the sun. He said 100 gates and six pedestrian paths have been allocated to worshippers in addition to 20 carts for the elderly and the disabled.
