Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – In an interview with Saudi National TV’s Al-Rased program, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Muhammad Saleh Benten announced that the first phase of umrah (the minor hajj) resumption will allow 6,000 pilgrims daily and will be divided into 12 groups across 24 hours.

The step is taken to keep maintaining social distancing measures with the help of the authorities to ensure that the pilgrims receive the same care provided to those performing the Hajj ritual, the minister said.

“We have also designated the age groups be between 18-65 years old for those who are able to. Those who can’t will have wheelchairs ready for them to perform Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba for seven times) and Saee (running between Safa and Marwa seven times), but the flow of the Tawaf will be consistent with the same speed and flow,” the minister pointed out.

“We have an accurate implementation plan in place to facilitate the flow of residents from the 17th of Safar (October 4) to perform the umrah rituals,” Benten said, adding that the pilgrims would have a specific time period in which to perform the rituals.

“Pilgrims who will be arriving from outside Makkah, who booked hotels and residences, will be asked to meet at the check points 15 minutes before their scheduled departures to the Grand Mosque where they will be met by guides and health specialists to perform the rituals in a very specific time period within their booked time slots,” the minster noted.

Children will be allowed to accompany their parents as long as they are added to the Tawakkalna app under the user’s dependents. Users may also add dependents to accompany them to perform the umrah.

Cars will not be allowed to park inside the central zone around the Grand Mosque with the exception of those who live in the area.

Pilgrims who are arriving by car but without a hotel booking will be able to accompany the designated group assigned to the time slot of choice by meeting them at the checkpoint and be transported by buses.

Pilgrims arriving from abroad will be allowed to enter the kingdom in the third phase of the plan with the Ministry of Health designating which nationalities will be allowed in the kingdom.

“Pilgrims arriving from abroad will receive the same treatment as the residents of Saudi Arabia. They will be able to book a time slot just as well and arrive knowing full well that they will be taken care of from arrival to departure,” the minister said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window