MAKKAH: Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb is to tour the holy sites on Wednesday to check on preparations and arrangements for pilgrims.

The minister will be accompanied by Mayor Osama Al-Baz, senior government officials and contractors who are carrying out development projects in the holy sites.

Prince Mansour will also review a number of giant development projects that are being executed at Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and the Jamrat. He will also meet officials to discuss arrangements for an easy and comfortable Haj.

Peddlers arrested

The Makkah municipality has arrested over 200 street sellers in inspection tours of markets and grocery stores in the areas around the Grand Mosque.

The tours, which were held in collaboration with other government departments, have been intensified as part of a drive to provide a healthy and safe atmosphere for Haj. In one recent tour, the municipality confiscated over 7,500 kilograms of foodstuffs and 1,2000 liters of water deemed unsuitable for consumption.

The municipality also impounded more than 8,500 pieces of utensils and clothes sold randomly by street peddlers.

A source at the municipality said 4,837 shops have been inspected so far of which 680 have been found to be committing various violations.