Makkah traffic plan aims to ease congestion during Haj

Col. Salman Al Jumai’I, director of the Jeddah Traffic Department, outlined prominent features of the traffic plan for this year’s Haj season in an interview with Arab News.
“The plan incorporates three important elements. First, traffic check points have been installed in key areas to block the entry of vehicles, buses and public transportation one hour before and after prayer times throughout the day. The idea is to prioritize pedestrians over transportation.”
“Second, the central area around the Grand Mosque will not have any vehicles transporting pilgrims. This area will be reserved only for loading and offloading passengers. We want to give the pilgrims ample room for mobility,” he added.
He explained that the department will, for the first time, apply a new plan on 12th and 13th Dhu Al Hijjah.
“All traffic will move one way in streets such as King Abd Al Aziz, Ibrahim Al-Khalil, Prince Mit’ib and Al-Masjid Al-Haram streets. This will allow for smooth traffic flow from Mina through the tunnels onwards to the mosque to perform the last tawaf (circumambulation) and leave Makkah thereafter for Jeddah,” he said.
He said that the department began denying small vehicles carrying passengers from entering Makkah from yesterday.
“We allow only large vehicles and buses to enter Makkah. Any vehicle that is caught violating traffic rules will be fined in accordance with regulations. Fines will range between SR1,500 to SR5,000. There are more than 2,500 traffic policemen deployed in the area. There will be more than 2,000 patrols, of which 500 will be on motorcycles. In addition, we have installed 10 ‘Saher’ cameras in the holy areas and major streets of Makkah,” he said.
He also noted that the department registered more than 29,000 traffic violations in the month of Shawwal.
“The fine amount will be dependent on the violation. Running a red light could cost you anywhere from SR500 to SR900. Last year, we impounded more than 1,000 motorcycles that did not have permits to enter Makkah,” he said.