فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
At the heart of Mecca, the control room operates around the clock, with teams rotating day and night to monitor maps, screens, and data streams. They rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to manage the massive crowds of pilgrims during the Hajj season.
Saudi authorities deploy around 15,000 cameras across the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings, equipped with advanced software designed to detect anomalies in crowd movements and anticipate bottlenecks. This helps prevent potential accidents and ensures smooth crowd flow.
This cutting-edge technology also tracks over 20,000 buses transporting pilgrims between the various sacred sites, facilitating organized and efficient transportation.
These technologies form part of an integrated system used by Saudi Arabia to manage one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, with approximately 1.4 million pilgrims converging on Mecca this year.
Mohamed Nazier, Director General of the General Transport Authority at the Royal Commission for Mecca, explains that the control center uses AI-enhanced smart cameras to analyze crowd movements, identify high-density areas, and predict crowd behavior in real time.
The system aims primarily to prevent accidents between pedestrians and vehicles, ease travel routes, and spare pilgrims from prolonged walking under the scorching sun—especially following the tragic deaths of 1,300 pilgrims due to heat in 2024.
At the peak of Hajj, about 17,000 buses operate simultaneously to ferry pilgrims to the holy sites.
Mohammed Al-Qarni, head of Hajj and Umrah at the General Transport Authority, describes the control room as “our eye on the ground,” monitoring more than 15,000 smart cameras installed on roads and pedestrian pathways.
He adds that AI enables “early detection of emergency situations even before they occur” and helps estimate the number of people present at any given location, facilitating the organization of entry into the Grand Mosque and assessing its capacity.
Earlier this year during Ramadan, the system helped determine when to suspend entries once the Grand Mosque reached full capacity, aiding crowd management and preventing overcrowding.
To identify unregistered pilgrims, Saudi authorities have deployed a new fleet of drones equipped with advanced cameras that monitor the entrances to Mecca continuously.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director General of Public Security, stated at a press conference on Hajj security that “AI and other tools such as drones and thermal cameras are extremely useful,” allowing law enforcement to detect violators through an integrated operations center.
The Saudi Special Forces for Road Security recently released footage showing their use of intelligent thermal cameras to monitor the outer perimeter of Mecca and the holy sites, enhancing security capabilities.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once in a lifetime by every Muslim who is able. However, official permits are allocated to countries based on quotas and distributed by lottery.
Despite this, some pilgrims resort to irregular, cheaper routes to perform Hajj, which carry greater risks. Saudi authorities aim to prevent such practices through these advanced technological measures.
These initiatives demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s commitment to employing the latest technological solutions to ensure pilgrim safety and manage the Hajj season with the highest standards of security and efficiency, amid challenges posed by large crowds and harsh climatic conditions.
