During the five days of Hajj, the Municipality of the Holy Capital efficiently managed the removal of over 70,000 tons of waste from the holy sites. This task was accomplished by a dedicated team of 14,000 cleaners who worked tirelessly alongside a fleet of large equipment and machinery.
Additionally, the Municipality took responsibility for cleaning and sterilizing the places of residence for the pilgrims. They also allocated laboratories to monitor the safety of food and beverages, supervised 500 kitchens for catering purposes, and made efforts to reduce the indiscriminate slaughter of sacrificial animals.
Sami Al-Zaytouni, the spokesperson for the Secretariat, emphasized that the waste removal and environmental sanitation plans were meticulously executed, aligning with the movement of the pilgrims. The cleaning operations were conducted around the clock to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and maintain the cleanliness of the holy sites.
Field teams were deployed by the Municipality to carry out continuous cleaning work in various locations such as the Mina shrine, the areas surrounding the Jamarat Bridge, and the pilgrims’ camps. Advanced equipment like vacuum cleaners, automated waste collection machines, and large automated waste transportation devices were employed. The waste was compressed at the Mina hairdresser and transported to 114 ground storage facilities. To facilitate the process, 1,180 compactor boxes, 9 large compressor trucks, 4 transitional stations, and over 40,000 containers were utilized.
In terms of ensuring the quality and safety of meals, the Municipality established teams and committees to monitor food stores, restaurants, kitchens, and the overall catering system. These monitoring efforts were conducted round-the-clock to guarantee the suitability of the meals for human consumption, the safety of the food workers, and compliance with health regulations. Modern mobile laboratories equipped with advanced technologies were used to swiftly analyze food and water samples, generate examination results, conduct regular laboratory analyses of food samples, and confiscate damaged materials.
The Municipality formed a committee to combat the issue of indiscriminate slaughter, consisting of various parties such as the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Holy Capital Traffic, the Holy Capital Police, and the Islamic Development Bank. This committee aimed to prevent any negative practices, especially during the days of Tashreeq when there is an increased demand for sacrificial animals and sacrifices. Field teams were deployed in the al-Mashaer area and the vicinity of slaughterhouses to monitor and prevent indiscriminate slaughter, thus averting potential environmental and health crises.
The Municipality’s comprehensive plan also involved overseeing the operation of various municipal facilities in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the holy sites. This included the maintenance of roads, lighting networks, tunnels, bridges, public toilets, and other facilities. Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the holy sites had a total of 58 tunnels spanning approximately 35 km, as well as 71 bridges of varying lengths and designs. Additionally, an extensive underground torrential drainage network measuring 540 kilometers was present, along with over 114,000 towers and poles in the lighting networks. The Municipality assigned contractors to continuously monitor these facilities to ensure the provision of high-level services during the season. Furthermore, technical teams were deployed to promptly address any reports received through the Municipality’s operations.
It is worth mentioning that since the first day of al-Tashreeq, pilgrims have been visiting the Jamarat facility in Mina to perform the ritual of throwing stones at the three Jamarat. They start with the small Jamarat, followed by the Central Jamarat, and finally, Jamarat al-Aqabah. After completing this ritual, they proceed to perform the Ifaadah Tawaf.
