Rashida Bakait | India Tomorrow
BENGALURU—As many as 10 robots have been deployed inside Makkah’s Haram Sharief, also called Grand Mosque, to sterilise the premises in view of Covid-19 infection that has engulfed the entire world. Robots have also been put on job in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah for disinfection work and also distribution of bottled water.
The action has been taken to protect the Hajj pilgrims and other visitors of the Grand Mosque from Covid-19 infection that has claimed life of more about four million people in the world.
The Hajj-2021 begins on July 17 and ends on July 22. As many as 60,000 people, all from Saudi Arabia, will be performing Hajj this year. No one from outside Saudi Arabia is allowed this year as well because the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
This is the second Hajj during the coronavirus pandemic when citizens from outside Saudi Arabia have been banned from performing Hajj due to Covid-19.
The total area in the Grand Mosque that will be sterilized daily by robots is 3,56,000 square metres.
General President of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Al Sudais, informed mediapersons that robots have also been installed in Prophet’s Mosque ( Masjid-e-Nabvi) as well for sanitization work and distribution of bottled water.
As per media reports Mr. Al Sudais praised the kingdom’s decision to limit attendance at Hajj this year, saying “it is a wise decision based on the principles of Islamic Sharia” and that it would help to maintain citizens’ and residents’ health.
Online applications for Hajj are open to the public, and women are allowed to register without the permission of a male guardian.
The Hajj and Umrah Ministry said there was “no priority for early registrations”, and it will be based solely on health and age. Only adults aged under 65 who have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the commencement of Hajj and are free of chronic disease will be allowed to attend Hajj.
The Ministry of Health said, “Those over the age of 65 are being prevented from performing Hajj this year in order to preserve their health during the ongoing pandemic”.
Hajj this year will begin on July 17 and will be over on July 22, but pilgrims can extend their stay for a few more days to pray in the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.
New protocol for pilgrims, including personalised meals and bigger spaces for people to meet, have been brought in to stop the spread of the coronavirus during the pilgrimage period.
The Hajj and Umrah Ministry has announced three Hajj packages. The first costs 12,113 Saudi riyals ($3,230) and the second 14,381 riyals. Both packages include food, transport and accommodation in camps.
The third package, for 16,560 riyals, will include accommodation in buildings, meals, shuttle service and amenities. The Hajj ministry said transfers include transportation from Makkah to and from the holy sites at which pilgrims perform the rituals of Hajj.
The ministry has offered additional modes of transport to pilgrims travelling from outside Makkah and said four centres have been established to receive pilgrims in the city.
Pilgrims will be transferred to the Grand Mosque, taken to Mina and transported back to the Grand Mosque to perform their final prayers and rituals according to the approved programme. No more than 20 people will be assigned to any bus and a guide will be appointed to support pilgrims on their journey.
Packaged meals will be allocated for each pilgrim. Buffets have been banned this year to avoid non-essential gathering and promote social distancing throughout the pilgrimage.
Last year, the number of pilgrims for Hajj was limited to 1,000 and the kingdom reported no new Covid-19 cases among the group.
Saudi Arabia has employed latest technologies earlier also to keep pilgrims safe.
Last year, The Ministry of Hajj introduced smart technology including asmart card system that gives pilgrims access to camps, transport, hotels, cashless payment terminals and ATMs, and help authorities identify crowded spots at the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah. Each card contains a unique QR code containing the bearer’s contact and medical details. The National Committee for Hajj and Umrah also issued smart bracelets containing GPS trackers to pilgrims upon arrival to help them navigate the holy sites.
In 2019, robots connected doctors with patients using 4G technology during Hajj rituals in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat.
The robots were supplied by the Kuwait-based Kiran Smart company dealing in robotic solutions. Mohammed Mubin Mallick, CEO of the company said, “Due to COVID-19 we could see the demand of robots rising around the world. It is very important to make use of it in a right direction. We need to use our intelligence to save humans with the advance technology. I think Saudi will excel in the implementation of advance technology in their Kingdom.”
