Saudi government moves to cut down on pilgrim highway casualties

Authorities have expressed concern at the number of fatal bus accidents each year during Haj and Umrah as pilgrims commute between the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
In a bid to reduce these accidents, the Ministry of Haj has moved to make it obligatory for Haj and Umrah service providers to limit the number of daily bus trips and to post and register all the information and data concerning the journeys, including the daily schedule on its automated system.
Col. Salman Aljmiei, director of traffic in Makkah, said in a press statement that Makkah had witnessed 390 deaths from traffic accidents during the first half of 2013, compared to 369 in the same period this year.
Undersecretary of Haj Ministry Issa Al-Rawas told local media that Haj and Umrah firms are obliged to register the data of its drivers who commute worshipers.
“Every firm must register with the ministry’s automated system the drivers’ data, the number of daily trips for each driver, and the departure times of each trip,” said Al-Rawas.
He confirmed that the measures are obligatory for all Haj and Umrah firms, and will constitute the basic requirements to receive visa applications from these firms every month.
“There will be a slot in the application for amendments. The system will be designed so as not to exceed the permissible daily working hours for each driver, to guarantee the availability of sufficient numbers of drivers, and to ensure that each driver gets the rest he needs before he resumes driving,” he explained.
Al-Rawas attributed the new measures to the ministry’s keenness on achieving more control on the system of commuting pilgrims and to enhance safety and limit loss of lives.

Source: Arab News