Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has announced fines of up to SAR20,000 ($5,300) for individuals entering or remaining in Makkah and surrounding holy sites without the required Hajj permits between Dhu Al-Qi’dah 1 and Dhu Al-Hijjah 14.
The penalties apply specifically to visit visa holders, while residents found violating Hajj regulations risk deportation and a 10-year ban from re-entering the kingdom, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Hajj rules prioritised for safety
The ministry emphasised the importance of adhering to Hajj rules to ensure the safety of pilgrims and the smooth performance of rituals. It also urged citizens and residents to report any violations by dialling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions of the country.
Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Saudi authorities implement strict access controls each year to manage crowds and ensure public safety during the pilgrimage.
Upgrading infrastructure
In other news, SPA reported that the road network leading to the holy sites is undergoing significant upgrades using advanced technologies, including full depth reclamation (FDR).
The on-site asphalt and sub-layer recycling technique, implemented by the Roads General Authority (RGA), supports Vision 2030’s goal of accommodating 30 million pilgrims by providing a stable foundation for new asphalt layers.
FDR offers cost savings of 40–70 per cent compared to traditional roadwork approaches, allows for same-day road reopening to minimise traffic disruptions, reuses up to 100 per cent of existing materials, and reduces maintenance time by over 40 per cent.
RGA’s use of this technology is part of the kingdom’s broader road sector strategy to enhance safety and quality, with targets to rank among the top six globally for road quality and to significantly lower traffic fatalities by 2030.
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
document,’script’,’https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js?v=next’);
