Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2015-07-08
More than 14 million pilgrims visited Makkah in Saudi Arabia in the first 16 days of Ramadan 1436, a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
According to Arab News, a local publication reported that these figures were unveiled at a meeting of the Central Hajj Committee, chaired by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
During the meeting, Prince Khaled reviewed the achievements of the committee during the Umrah season and plans for the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Salah Saqr, the secretary of the committee said more than 650,000 vehicles were involved in transporting pilgrims so far. “The plan for this Ramadan involves transporting 25 million people in 30 days.”
Issa Mohammed Rawas, undersecretary at the Ministry of Haj, said 5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived to perform Umrah so far, with over 3.7 million traveling through King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah.
A total of 1.3 million came through Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, 114,646 via Yanbu Airport, 23,539 via Jeddah Islamic Port and 18,658 through Yanbu Commercial Port, said Rawas.
The meeting participants also discussed the new smart phone application that helps pilgrims perform their rituals in more than 34 languages.
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