Makkah: Saudi authorities are working towards making the Grand Mosque in Makkah among the world’s smartest places by 2030, as digital systems reshape services and operations for pilgrims and visitors.
Dr Mohammed Al-Saqr, Deputy CEO for Digital Transformation at the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, said the technology-led transformation is changing work models and raising service efficiency across the Two Holy Mosques, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
One of the key projects, the Mobility Platform, has automated transportation procedures and connected them with relevant entities and platforms. It also offers electronic booking and payment services.
The system has cut average waiting times from around two hours three years ago to about nine minutes, based on measurements from last year’s Haj season.
Technology has also streamlined the Iftar meals system at the Grand Mosque, which provides more than 38 million meals and handles transactions approaching half a billion Saudi riyals.
Automation has reduced its procedures cycle from around eight days to approximately eight minutes, Al-Saqr said. The system has also strengthened governance and transparency through separated roles, automated processes, integration with the Ihsan platform and third-party oversight.
Elsewhere, the Rafed platform links 18 government systems and entities to handle reports concerning the Two Holy Mosques. An interactive map processes around 600,000 cases annually, equivalent to roughly 10 per cent of the Grand Mosque’s estimated six million annual visitors.
Al-Saqr said authorities would continue using smart technologies to anticipate future needs and develop services, supporting the broader goal of making the Grand Mosque one of the world’s smartest places before 2030.
The Grand Mosque is Islam’s holiest site and welcomes millions of Muslims each year for Haj and Umrah.
