Saudi Arabia declares full readiness for Hajj as pilgrims prepare to flock to Mina Monday

MINA — The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced on Sunday that all field and operational preparations for transporting pilgrims to the tent city of Mina have been completed, as the rituals of Hajj commence on Monday. Pilgrims have finalized their preparations to depart for Mina from their residences in Makkah to observe the Day of Tarwiyah on Monday, marking the beginning of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Hundreds of thousands of domestic pilgrims will join more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims who have arrived in the Kingdom from across the globe for this year’s Hajj. Following the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), pilgrims are reciting the talbiyah and glorifying God as they make their way to the Tent City. The Ministry of Hajj has implemented an integrated system dedicated to organizing the movement of pilgrims to their camps and monitoring the quality of services provided at the holy sites, in coordination with various relevant authorities. The ministry’s efforts include overseeing the movement of pilgrims from their accommodations and hospitality centers to Mina, ensuring smooth access to the camps, providing guidance and awareness services, and assisting pilgrims in reaching their designated locations in accordance with the approved operational plans for the 2026 Hajj season. In coordination with the relevant authorities, the ministry has also completed the operational readiness of accommodation, catering, and transportation services within Mina, while enhancing field monitoring measures to promptly identify and address any issues. These efforts contribute to improving the quality of services during the initial stages of pilgrims’ stay at the holy sites. These initiatives are fully integrated with the operations of the Crowd Management and Joint Operations Center, the Monitoring and Control Center, and the Compliance Center through continuous monitoring of movement, services, and operational indicators. Field teams are also being provided with the necessary information to address any challenges that may affect the smooth flow of movement or the quality of services. It is worthy to note that since the beginning of Dhul Qada, the ministry has conducted more than 83,000 inspection and field visits to various service facilities in coordination and cooperation with the relevant authorities. These visits covered pilgrims’ accommodations, hospitality centers, camps, and all service sites to ensure operational readiness, verify compliance with established requirements, and address any issues immediately, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the pilgrims’ experience.