MAKKAH (Kashmir English): To control unapproved pilgrims during the Hajj season, Saudi officials have started drone surveillance in the sacred city of Makkah. The action seeks to keep track of and stop the arrival of unapproved Hajj pilgrims.
Reports from Saudi state media say that the drone operation has so far resulted in hundreds of infractions being recorded daily by those trying to undergo Hajj unlawfully.
Among those arrested were Indonesian citizens believed to be supporting a scam Hajj permit scheme. Further probes resulted in the detention of 14 additional individuals at their homes; none of them possessed valid Hajj papers.
Separately working to enhance the travel experience for actual pilgrims, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has placed 20 electronic gates (e-gates) at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina.
Designed to quicken the immigration process and lower waiting times for arriving pilgrims, these sophisticated gates
SDAIA is collaborating with airport and immigration officials to use artificial intelligence tools designed to simplify entry process. Besides the e-gates, more than 30 sophisticated passport scanners have been introduced to help with efficient processing.
Dedicated SDAIA teams have been on site, ready to react rapidly should any technical problems or system failures arise, to guarantee continuous service.
With extra staff and four modern fingerprint scanning devices, the arrival terminal in Madinah has been further fortified to enhance the immigration procedure for arriving Hajj pilgrims.
