Intensive Rounds to Follow-up the Quality of Commodities, to Monitor the Prices and to Respond to Notifications
MCI has completed the preparations for the current pilgrimage season 1435H, where the number of roaming vehicles laden with catering and food commodities have been increased to reach more than 2000 vehicles as an objective to be achieved this year, compared with last year pilgrimage season. The number of refrigerated vehicles scheduled to enter the Holy Places have been increased as well by 45% to reach 183 ones. In addition to monitoring the availability of sufficient stock of food commodities to meet any increase in demand, as well as intensifying the control and surveillance on the shops and booths to monitor any violation related to consumer protection and verify the quality of foodstuffs offered for sale and how far they are fit and suitable for the human consumption, and to respond to the consumers` notifications in Makkah, Medina and the holy places.
The Ministry said in a statement that its overall plan for the pilgrimage season this year will also include the implementation of intensive field rounds on jewelry and precious metals shops to verify the calibration weights and not to display any items or designs contrary to the traditions of Islamic law.
The Ministry will implement also Control Rounds on fuel stations, especially located along the roads of the cities used by the pilgrims to verify and ascertain the pumps calibration, and to ensure that the fuel is not mixed with other items, as well as the shops that change and sell cars tires, in order to ensure their quality and validity, and to confiscate the expired and used tires.
According to the comprehensive plan of this year pilgrimage, the target numbers of shops and booths providing meals and fast food in the Holy Sites have been identified to include: (430) ones, (260) shops and booths in Mina, (100) ones in Mount Arafat, and (70 ) ones in Muzdalifah.
Besides, 183 water coolers, capacity 40 ft., have been distributed to include: (73) water coolers in Mina, (100) ones in Mount Arafat, and (10) in Muzdalifah. This was done in coordination with the Public Security, the Secretariat of the Holy City and the Committee of Watering and Services (Rifadah).
Meetings of the concerned officials in the Ministry with the owners of companies and institutions, that provide food and catering services in the Holy Sites during the pilgrimage season, have resulted in estimating the target number of ready-made meals, cooked and uncooked to be provided by the companies and institutions specialized in the field of Catering and Supply, to be approximately (6.6) million, hot and cool meals.
MCI has prepared an alternative plan for emergencies, in addition to its comprehensive plan for the pilgrimage season. All those responsible for the implementation of these plans have been advised to exert the maximum efforts, to provide the best services, to harness all the potentials, to mobilize all energies and to cooperate with other relevant parties and authorities so that to provide the best services to the guests of the Holy Places.
This comes within the framework of the follow-up and interest of the Ministry to serve the pilgrims through the creation of all necessary means to serve them in Makkah, Medina and the Holy Places since their arrival to perform Al Hajj until their departure.