Riyadh: With the onset of Haj season, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia‘s traffic police has initiated strict measures to ensure that unauthorised vehicles are not allowed entry in Makkah, effective from noon on Friday until July 1.
The officers will be stationed at various entry points to implement this directive.
Haj security forces have warned that anyone caught transporting pilgrims without a Haj permit will be subject to severe penalties, including up to six months in prison and a fine of 50,000 Saudi Riyals (Rs 10,93,054).
Fines also include confiscating the vehicle used for transportation based on a court ruling. If the violator is an expatriate, he will be deported after serving the prison sentence and paying the fine. He will also be banned from entering the Kingdom for the period specified in the law.
The authorities have been instructed to allow entry only to those who work in holy sites and have entry permits, those with a resident ID card issued by Makkah, and those with a Haj permit.
The ban imposed every year at the entrances to the holy city applies to all means of transportation, including cars, buses and trucks.
What is Haj?
The Haj pilgrimage to Makkah is a mandatory religious duty that must be performed by those Muslims who are physically and financially able to perform it, at least once in a lifetime.
Haj 1444 AH/2023 will start on June 26 and the day of Arafah will fall on June 27.
