1.6 million pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj

MAKKAH. KAZINFORM According to official statistics issued by relevant Saudi authorities, 1.604 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj season, an increase of eight percent or 117,000 pilgrims compared to the same period in 2018.

Statistics issued by the Mathaba Centre, aSaudi endowment centre specialising in Hajj affairs, show that around 1.5million pilgrims arrived on flights, accounting for around 93 percent of thetotal number of pilgrims while 88,346 pilgrims arrived by land, accounting forsix percent, and 16,916 arrived by sea, WAM reports.

In Makkah and other holy sites, the SalineWater Conversion Corporation, SWCC, aims to achieve a new record in 2019, bysupplying one million cubic metres of potable water per day during the Hajjseason, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2018.

In Mina, an area of eight-square kilometres, or57.6 percent of the local area, has been allocated to some 45,000 tents, toprovide accommodation for 1.5 million pilgrims. The area can host 118,000people per hour and accommodate 70,000 worshipers.

Some 141,800 pilgrims who arrived on 355flights also benefitted from the Makkah Route initiative - a service launchedby the Kingdom that includes issuing visas, ensuring compliance with healthrequirements, and codifying and sorting luggage at airports in the pilgrims’own countries.