Saudi Arabia has intensified preparations for the Hajj season with a series of coordinated operational, safety and regulatory initiatives aimed at improving pilgrim mobility, enhancing public health measures and ensuring smooth crowd management across the holy sites.
In Madinah Region, the Roads General Authority (RGA) has launched a centralised road operations centre designed to strengthen monitoring and response capabilities during the pilgrimage period. The facility brings contractors and reporting teams together in one location to streamline communication, improve coordination and accelerate responses to incidents and emergencies.
The authority said the centre enables direct monitoring of weather developments and emergency situations, allowing officials to make faster operational decisions and improve traffic management. The initiative forms part of wider efforts to enhance road safety standards, improve user experience and support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to rank among the world’s leading countries for road quality by 2030.
The move comes as authorities prepare for the significant influx of pilgrims expected during Hajj, with transport efficiency and safety remaining central priorities.
Alongside transport measures, the Madinah branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has activated an extensive Hajj operational plan focused on food safety, environmental compliance and animal welfare.
Round-the-clock field inspections are being carried out at fruit and vegetable markets, livestock markets and slaughterhouses under the supervision of specialists and veterinarians. Inspection teams are conducting laboratory testing on agricultural products to ensure they are free from diseases and pests, while monitoring compliance with licensing and health regulations.
Authorities are also overseeing meat inspections at abattoirs, monitoring livestock enclosures and ensuring environmentally responsible waste disposal practices. According to the ministry, teams are supervising six major slaughterhouses, more than 200 livestock enclosures and 106 feed warehouses during the season.
To improve efficiency, field operations related to inspections, data collection and disease control are being tracked electronically through the Midani application, helping automate workflows and strengthen monitoring procedures.
Officials have additionally introduced temporary designated areas for mobile livestock sellers, displayed slaughtering price lists at abattoirs and enhanced accessibility measures, including dedicated facilities for people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce has intensified its own inspection campaigns across Makkah, Madinah, the miqats and roads leading to the Two Holy Mosques. Since the beginning of Dhul-Qi’dah, the ministry has conducted more than 23,000 preventive inspection tours aimed at strengthening consumer protection and ensuring the availability of essential goods and services for pilgrims.
The inspections covered retail outlets and commercial establishments in key pilgrimage areas, including Al-Juhfah, Yalamlam and Qarn Al-Manazil. Officials verified pricing transparency, the validity of commercial offers and compliance with regulations designed to maintain service quality throughout the pilgrimage season.
At the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, authorities have also deployed an advanced crowd management system to regulate the movement of worshippers and visitors, particularly during peak prayer periods.
Operational plans implemented ahead of prayer times involve distributing worshippers across prayer halls and courtyards while directing visitors towards less congested areas to reduce pressure on key access routes and corridors.
Modern monitoring technologies are being used to analyse crowd density in real time, enabling immediate operational adjustments when necessary. Interactive multilingual signage and digital guidance screens are also helping direct worshippers to appropriate entry and exit points, improving movement flows and enhancing safety during one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.
