Hajj pilgrims increase due to expansion projects - Saudi report

JEDDAH, Aug 25 (KUNA) -- The number of Hajj pilgrims increased in the last four decades due to the continuous expansions in ritualistic sites and multifaceted services in Makkah and elsewhere, said a Saudi ministerial report Friday.
According to a report by the Saudi Ministry of Information and Culture, the main reason for this increase was due to the development of infrastructure and vital services, noting that the number of pilgrims within the past 48 years have increased from around half a million annually to around three million pilgrims.
Providing his input on the report, head of operations at the ministry Abdulkhaleq Al-Zahrani said that development projects in Makkah, Al-Madina, and other regions have considerably increased number of pilgrims both from abroad and within Saudi Arabia.
The new train project linking Makkah, Al-Madina, and Jeddah will help ease transportation for Hajj pilgrims, said Al-Zahrani, adding that the expansion projects in the Haram (holy sanctuary) in Makkah and other sites have helped to protect the well-being of Hajj pilgrims and enabled them to perform rituals more smoothly. (end) nsa.gta