LUGGAGE STORAGE FACILITY NEAR THE JAMRAT BRIDGE

In a major move to ensure the safety of Haj pilgrims, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will introduce a luggage storage facility near the Jamrat area. The idea is to avoid congestion in the stoning area, a senior government official told Arab News yesterday. Habib M. Zein Al-Abideen, deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs, announced this while speaking at the conclusion of a three-day workshop on "Arrangements at the Jamrat area and Bridge during the Coming Haj Season". The delegates at the workshop also discussed matters relating to problems due to squatters in Mina, unregistered local pilgrims coming from various parts of the Kingdom and mobilization of pilgrims within the area. More than 3 million pilgrims gather in the tent city of Mina every year for a period of three days for stoning and they sleep overnight after staying in Arafat and Muzdalifah. The pilgrims would be told to keep their luggage in the new warehouse which will be large enough to store all their baggage.