4,000 officers to handle traffic in Makkah during Ramadan

More than 4,000 officers will be patrolling the streets of Makkah during Ramadan, according to Traffic Department chief Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Miqbel. The force includes 2,500 public security trainees and 1,500 others from the General Traffic Administration. This is in addition to the traffic officers of the holy city that are distributed on the Central Square, centers, markets and public places,” Al-Miqbel told a press conference while explaining the traffic plan during holy month.
He said that the plan is in line with government efforts and the directives of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Minister of Interior Prince Mohammad bin Naif, and under the supervision of Public Security Director General Saeed Al-Qahtani.
There will be a daily follow-up to deal with any possible emergency or obstacle, he said, emphasizing that concentration will be on the Central Square and the Haram area but this does not mean that others will be ignored. As well, officers will be spread in Al-Aziziya, Haram Street, Umm Al-Qura Street, Al-Jamiza, Al-Ataiba and Third Circle.
All the entry points of the Central Square have been identified to make it easier for the religious visitors because the roads of the area will be congested during the evenings, especially on the last 10 days of Ramadan, and there is just no space, he said.
Al-Miqbel added that vehicles have not been banned from entry into the Central Square and all the roads have been eased in front of those who want to get to the Haram.
He said the “moving points allocation system” in the Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street is being applied to allow the entry of vehicles to Al-Hujlah Circle, and if the congestion increases the Khraza Circle will be closed, and in the event of more jams the Second Circle Road will be off-limits.
In Aziziya, vehicles have been allowed to enter through the tunnel of the small market and they will also be allowed through the Reeh Bakhsh crossings. However, if traffic increases no cars will be allowed from the Kadi traffic light.
“I hope that drivers moving in the direction of the Central Square will move to the special parking and use public transport, which will operate to all four entry points, including the covered pedestrian bridge, Al-Maskhota, Kadi Al-Kashla parking and so on,” Al-Miqbel said.
All these points will have buses to transport to the tunnels and the second line will move to the western square of the pebble-stones to make it easier for people through Al-Sail Way and Al-Taneem Way.
He said there will be external parking on the entries to Makkah and these are Al-Shumaisi, Al-Shara’eh, Al-Huda, Al-Laith and Al-Nowaria, and there will be public transport operating on the hour to the Central Square.