Reading Time: 4 minutes The "Road to Makkah" project is a Saudi Arabian initiative to simplify the pilgrimage process for Muslims traveling to Makkah for Hajj and Umrah. It includes e-visas, document verification in pilgrims' home countries, and direct luggage transportation to hotels. Although facing delays due to time constraints, the project aims to streamline procedures, reduce stress for pilgrims, and enhance their overall experience. In the future, it may expand to benefit more Muslims on their pilgrimage journeys.
Hajj, or pilgrimage, is one of the pillars of Islam, and holds significant importance for Muslims. It is an obligatory practice and all capable Muslims must perform this sacred practice at least once in their lives. Umrah, on the other hand, also being a pilgrimage, is not obligatory and can be performed at any time of the year. Both Hajj and Umrah are performed in Masjid al-Haram and its vicinity, and their religious significance is matchless.
There are over 2 billion Muslims in the world and, every year, millions of pilgrims visit the city of Makkah to perform the hajj. To demonstrate, in the year 2018, approximately 2.4 million people performed the pilgrimage. This number fell to approximately 1 million due to COVID-19 in 2022. However, over 2 million people from all over the world are expected to perform hajj this year. The number of pilgrims visiting Makkah every year is pretty captivating.
Despite the staggering number, a vast majority of these Muslims do not even get to perform Hajj or Umrah at all. There are many reasons behind this, one of which is a series of time taking and costly legal processes that a pilgrim has to go through. Especially the complicated immigration processes, which can prove to be arduous and laborious.
Bearing in mind that a large number of Muslims are unable to perform pilgrimage due to the expenses or international immigration issues, one would think a less costly and easier method would have been discovered long ago. And keeping just that in mind, an initiative has been taken by the government of Saudi Arabia in the form of the project “Road to Makkah” which will simplify and facilitate the process of immigration.
When a pilgrim arrives at any International airport in Saudi Arabia, they are required to showcase some important documents including visa, passport, insurance (in some cases), and so on.
The vaccination card of a foreigner is also checked to see if they have received all the necessary doses. Travelers can face serious issues in case their documents go missing or if they are incomplete. In short, the entire application process, flight schedule, appropriate dates for leaving, booking hotels and reaching the destination in Saudi Arabia can be lengthy and draining.
To prevent pilgrims from this hassle and headache, and to give them a better experience of their journey, the government of Saudi Arabia has started a project named “Road to Makkah”.
This project entails the issuance of e-visas and document verification, in home countries, due to which immigration clearances will be made possible even before the pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia. Besides, the project involves sending the luggage of pilgrims directly to their respective hotels. The project was to be started in Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, and Bangladesh. The accord was signed by both the interior minister of Pakistan, Rana Sanaullah, and Saudi Arabian deputy interior minister, Dr. Nasir Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, on 17th May 2023.
Road to Makkah, initially, aims to facilitate millions of Pakistanis and Muslims from the surrounding countries. The project was extrapolated to be in works immediately, and a Saudi Arabian immigration staff was reported to land in the capital later this year. In the year 2024, further work was estimated to be done in this regard, and major cities like Lahore and Karachi are predicted to be made a part of this project. The project is named Road to Makkah as it aims to create ease for the pilgrims and bridge the gap between their homelands and the sacred city of Makkah, as if they are on a road trip.
The project is currently facing a delay due to the shortage of time. The majority of the reasons revolve around the month of Dhul Hajj, which is approaching and flight operations have already started. Due to this, gaining maximum benefits from this project is quite difficult.
The proper and successful implementation of the project might require some more time. A lot of work is being done, by both countries, to create ease for the pilgrims. However, the shortage of time can be an obstacle to achieving maximum outcomes.
For this reason, the delegation of Saudi Arabian Officials has postponed the implementation of the project in Pakistan.
Road to Makkah is undoubtedly a very useful initiative focused on creating ease, and reducing the difficulties faced by pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia, to carry out their religious practices.
Every year, millions of people visit the country for pilgrimage and a large number of these people are first-time visitors. They are not well aware of the procedures and policies due to which they face complications at different stages of the process. Whether it’s immigration clearance, deboarding, luggage collection, transportation or language barrier, a foreigner can find it quite difficult to solve a problem they face.
All these issues will be addressed by the project, to make the process smooth and seamless for countless Muslims. This can help reduce the huge number of issues that pilgrims face at the airport. The immigration clearance of an individual will be done in their home country, due to which pilgrims will land at either King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah or Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madina, and head directly to their hotels without having to spend hours at immigration counters. This way, they will arrive more relaxed, get some rest, and prepare for an unforgettable pilgrimage experience.
The luggage transportation issues will also be addressed under this project. Saudi Arabian immigration staff will be sent to the member countries of the project so the staff, familiar with the native language of that particular country, will serve in the respective regions.
The project has the potential to transform the travel and immigration procedures and make it better than ever before. It is truly paving the way for a pilgrim from their state, to Makkah, to perform hajj and Umrah, without any added stress and worries. The problems of a pilgrim will be taken care of, so they can focus on their objective and leave the state with positive memories and a beautiful experience.
Hajj and Umrah are extremely important for Muslims, and their experience of pilgrimage is one of the most precious experiences of their lives. The hiccups faced by pilgrims in the form of travel procedures and immigration clearances can potentially ruin or impact this experience negatively, in one way or another.
A lot of work has already been done by the Saudi Arabian government, to create ease for the pilgrims and the recent project is a huge benchmark in this regard. It will not only facilitate the legal procedures but save time and help provide a better experience to pilgrims. The project is expected to expand, in future, in different countries, providing services to a relatively larger number of Muslims, who wish to perform Hajj and Umrah.
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