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Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Pilgrims in Mina as hajj begins
MAKKAH: More than a million pilgrims joined Islam's most important rite as the hajj kicked off on Wednesday. With temperatures expected to top 40 degrees Celsius, robed pilgrims slowly circled the Kaaba — the black cube at the heart of Makkah's Grand Mosque, which is Islam's holiest site. Others have arrived en masse in the sprawling tent city of Mina on Makkah's outskirts where they will stay overnight before the hajj's high-point Thursday — prayers on Mount Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his final sermon. 'You feel like you're not in this world,' Khitam, a 63-year-old pilgrim, told AFP by phone, saying that 'before hajj, I used to watch the Grand Mosque on TV all day.' About 1.5 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means. Pilgrims arriving on buses had begun already trickling into Mina on Tuesday afternoon, greeted by staff offering them coffee and dates. 'I am so happy, it's such an amazing feeling,' said Reem Al-Shogre, a 35-year-old Saudi performing the pilgrimage for the first time. A billboard reading 'No hajj without permit' greeted pilgrims as they arrived in Mina. Working day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the hajj. The technology has proven pivotal to track the overwhelming amount of footage from more than 15,000 cameras in and around the holy city of Makkah. The systems are tuned to spot abnormal crowd movements or predict bottlenecks in foot traffic — a potential lifesaver at the packed event to prevent stampedes. Software is also used to help guide more than 20,000 buses deployed to transport pilgrims between holy sites during one of the world's biggest annual religious gatherings. It is all part of the tech arsenal that Saudi Arabia is deploying as faithful from across the globe descend on Makkah and its surrounds. 'In our traffic control room, we use specialized cameras that have AI layers to analyze movements, crowded areas' and predict behaviors, said Mohamed Nazier, chief executive officer for the General Transport Centre at the Royal Commission for Mecca. The center has a main control room in Makkah filled with screens and maps, where staff use high-tech tools including AI for round-the-clock monitoring. About a dozen staff members sit in rows before desktop computers with a large display at the front, zooming in on crowd movements around the holy sites. On hillsides nearby, cameras that resemble little white robots film buildings, roads and pathways along the hajj route, which winds more than 20 km between Makkah and Mount Arafat. Nazier said the constant monitoring is aimed at averting traffic collisions with pedestrians on crowded routes while also making sure there are buses available to minimize walking time in the desert heat. It is a decade since the hajj suffered its worst disaster, a stampede that killed up to 2,300 people during the 'stoning of the devil' ritual. Hundreds also died in stampedes in 2006, 1998 and 1994. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death or asphyxiated when a tunnel ventilation system failed. With its cutting-edge technology, 'the control room is our eye on the ground,' said Mohammed Al-Qarni, who oversees the hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimage at the transport center. Artificial intelligence helps to determine 'the flow on the (roads to the holy sites), and detects emergency situations even before they occur', he told AFP, adding that the technology can help assess the number of people in a single place. Cameras and AI can estimate if a site has reached maximum capacity, allowing authorities to divert the flow of pilgrims, Qarni said. During the holy month of Ramadan this year, the system spotted when the Grand Mosque had reached full capacity. 'The flow to the Haram (Grand Mosque) was stopped and the process controlled,' he said. The use of advanced technology extends beyond logistics, also tracking unregistered pilgrims, who accounted for most of the 1,301 deaths in sweltering conditions last year. As temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius last year, unauthorized worshippers who lack access to air-conditioned tents and buses bore the brunt. Temperatures are forecast to top 40C this week. The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Yet not everyone is able to secure or afford one of the official permits, which are allocated to countries by quota and awarded to individuals by lottery. To try to stop anyone sneaking in this year, a fleet of camera-equipped drones is monitoring entrances into Makkah. 'We use artificial intelligence and other tools like drones and thermal imaging cameras,' the director general of public security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, told reporters. Meanwhile, the Saudi Special Forces for Roads Security said it was using 'smart thermal imaging' to monitor the perimeter of Makkah and the holy sites. – AFP
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Saudis use AI, drones and thousands of cameras to keep Haj pilgrims safe
MECCA: Working day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the Haj. The technology has proven pivotal to track the overwhelming amount of footage from more than 15,000 cameras in and around the holy city of Mecca. The systems are tuned to spot abnormal crowd movements or predict bottlenecks in foot traffic — a potential life-saver at a packed event with a history of deadly stampedes. Software is also used to help guide more than 20,000 buses deployed to transport pilgrims between holy sites during one of the world's biggest annual religious gatherings. Muslims participate in a prayer around the Kaaba. — AFP It is all part of the tech arsenal that Saudi Arabia is deploying as 1.4 million faithful from across the globe descend on Mecca and its surrounds. "In our traffic control room, we use specialised cameras that have AI layers to analyse movements, crowded areas" and predict behaviours, said Mohamed Nazier, chief executive officer for the General Transport Centre at the Royal Commission for Mecca. The centre has a main control room in Mecca filled with screens and maps, where staff use high-tech tools including AI for round-the-clock monitoring. About a dozen staff members sit in rows before desktop computers with a large display at the front, zooming in on crowd movements around the holy sites. On hillsides nearby, cameras that resemble little white robots film buildings, roads and pathways along the Haj route, which winds more than 20 kilometres between Mecca and Mount Arafat. Nazier said the constant monitoring is aimed at averting traffic collisions with pedestrians on crowded routes while also making sure there are buses available to minimise walking time in the desert heat. It is a decade since the Haj suffered its worst disaster, a stampede that killed up to 2,300 people during the "stoning of the devil" ritual. Hundreds also died in stampedes in 2006, 1998 and 1994. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death or asphyxiated when a tunnel ventilation system failed. With its cutting-edge technology, "the control room is our eye on the ground," said Mohammed al Qarni, who oversees the Haj and the year-round Umrah pilgrimage at the transport centre. A young boy is lifted up to touch the Kaaba, in the holy city of Mecca. — AFP Artificial intelligence helps to determine "the flow on the roads to the holy sites, and detects emergency situations even before they occur", he said, adding that the technology can help assess the number of people in a single place. Cameras and AI can estimate if a site has reached maximum capacity, allowing authorities to divert the flow of pilgrims, Al Qarni said. During the holy month of Ramadhan this year, the system spotted when the Grand Mosque had reached full capacity. "The flow to the Haram (Grand Mosque) was stopped and the process controlled," he said. The use of advanced technology extends beyond logistics, also tracking unregistered pilgrims, who accounted for most of the 1,301 deaths in sweltering conditions last year. As temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius last year, unauthorised worshippers who lack access to air-conditioned tents and buses bore the brunt. Temperatures are forecast to top 40C this week. Muslim worshippers make their way towards the Kaaba. — AFP The Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Yet not everyone is able to secure or afford one of the official permits, which are allocated to countries by quota. To try to stop anyone sneaking in this year, a fleet of camera-equipped drones is monitoring entrances into Mecca. "We use artificial intelligence and other tools like drones and thermal imaging cameras," the director-general of public security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah al Bassami, told reporters. Meanwhile, the Saudi Special Forces for Roads Security said it was using "smart thermal imaging" to monitor the perimeter of Mecca and the holy sites. — AFP
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Daily Tribune
AI, drones, cameras to keep hajj pilgrims safe
AFP | Mecca Working day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the hajj. The technology has proven pivotal to track the overwhelming amount of footage from more than 15,000 cameras in and around the holy city of Mecca. The systems are tuned to spot abnormal crowd movements or predict bottlenecks in foot traffic -- a potential life-saver at a packed event with a history of deadly stampedes. Software is also used to help guide more than 20,000 buses deployed to transport pilgrims between holy sites during one of the world's biggest annual religious gatherings. It is all part of the tech arsenal that Saudi Arabia is deploying as 1.4 million faithful from across the globe descend on Mecca and its surrounds. 'In our traffic control room, we use specialised cameras that have AI layers to analyse movements, crowded areas' and predict behaviours, said Mohamed Nazier, chief executive officer for the General Transport Centre at the Royal Commission for Mecca. The centre has a main control room in Mecca filled with screens and maps, where staff use high-tech tools including AI for round-the-clock monitoring. About a dozen staff members sit in rows before desktop computers with a large display at the front, zooming in on crowd movements around the holy sites. On hillsides nearby, cameras that resemble little white robots film buildings, roads and pathways along the hajj route, which winds more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) between Mecca and Mount Arafat. Nazier said the constant monitoring is aimed at averting traffic collisions with pedestrians on crowded routes while also making sure there are buses available to minimise walking time in the desert heat. 'Our eye on the ground' With its cutting-edge technology, 'the control room is our eye on the ground,' said Mohammed al-Qarni, who oversees the hajj and the year round umrah pilgrimage at the transport centre. Artificial intelligence helps to determine 'the flow on the (roads to the holy sites), and detects emergency situations even before they occur', he told AFP, adding that the technology can help assess the number of people in a single place. Cameras and AI can estimate if a site has reached maximum capacity, allowing authorities to divert the flow of pilgrims, Qarni said. During the holy month of Ramadan this year, the system spotted when the Grand Mosque had reached full capacity. 'The flow to the Haram (Grand Mosque) was stopped and the process cont rolled,' he said.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Saudi officials use AI, drones and thousands of cameras to keep hajj pilgrims safe
Working day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the hajj. The technology has proven pivotal to track the overwhelming amount of footage from more than 15,000 cameras in and around the holy city of Mecca. The systems are tuned to spot abnormal crowd movements or predict bottlenecks in foot traffic: a potential life-saver at a packed event with a history of deadly stampedes. Software is also used to help guide more than 20,000 buses deployed to transport pilgrims between holy sites during one of the world's biggest annual religious gatherings. It is all part of the tech arsenal that Saudi Arabia is deploying as 1.4 million faithful from across the globe descend on Mecca and its surrounds. "In our traffic control room, we use specialised cameras that have AI layers to analyse movements, crowded areas" and predict behaviours, said Mohamed Nazier, chief executive officer for the General Transport Centre at the Royal Commission for Mecca. The centre has a main control room in Mecca filled with screens and maps, where staff use high-tech tools including AI for round-the-clock monitoring. About a dozen staff members sit in rows before desktop computers with a large display at the front, zooming in on crowd movements around the holy sites. On hillsides nearby, cameras that resemble little white robots film buildings, roads and pathways along the hajj route, which winds more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) between Mecca and Mount Arafat. Nazier said the constant monitoring is aimed at averting traffic collisions with pedestrians on crowded routes while also making sure there are buses available to minimise walking time in the desert heat. It is a decade since the hajj suffered its worst disaster, a stampede that killed up to 2,300 people during the "stoning of the devil" ritual. Hundreds also died in stampedes in 2006, 1998 and 1994. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death or asphyxiated when a tunnel ventilation system failed. With its cutting-edge technology, "the control room is our eye on the ground," said Mohammed al-Qarni, who oversees the hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimage at the transport centre. Artificial intelligence helps to determine "the flow on the (roads to the holy sites), and detects emergency situations even before they occur", he told AFP, adding that the technology can help assess the number of people in a single place. Cameras and AI can estimate if a site has reached maximum capacity, allowing authorities to divert the flow of pilgrims, Qarni said. During the holy month of Ramadan this year, the system spotted when the Grand Mosque had reached full capacity. "The flow to the Haram (Grand Mosque) was stopped and the process controlled," he said. The use of advanced technology extends beyond logistics, also tracking unregistered pilgrims, who accounted for most of the 1,301 deaths in sweltering conditions last year. As temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) last year, unauthorised worshippers who lack access to air-conditioned tents and buses bore the brunt. Temperatures are forecast to top 40C this week. The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Yet not everyone is able to secure or afford one of the official permits, which are allocated to countries by quota and awarded to individuals by lottery. To try to stop anyone sneaking in this year, a fleet of camera-equipped drones is monitoring entrances into Mecca. "We use artificial intelligence and other tools like drones and thermal imaging cameras," the director general of public security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, told reporters. Meanwhile, the Saudi Special Forces for Roads Security said it was using "smart thermal imaging" to monitor the perimeter of Mecca and the holy sites.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
Saudis use AI, drones and cameras to keep haj pilgrims safe
WORKING day and night in front of maps, screens and seemingly endless data, Saudi officials have harnessed artificial intelligence to help manage the million-strong sea of pilgrims during the haj. The technology has proven pivotal to track the overwhelming amount of footage from more than 15,000 cameras in and around the holy city of Mecca. The systems are tuned to spot abnormal crowd movements or predict bottlenecks in foot traffic – a potential life-saver at a packed event with a history of deadly stampedes. Software is also used to help guide more than 20,000 buses deployed to transport pilgrims between holy sites during one of the world's biggest annual religious gatherings. It is all part of the tech arsenal that Saudi Arabia is deploying as 1.4 million faithful from across the globe descend on Mecca and its surrounds. "In our traffic control room, we use specialised cameras that have AI layers to analyse movements, crowded areas" and predict behaviours, said Mohamed Nazier, chief executive officer for the General Transport Centre at the Royal Commission for Mecca. The centre has a main control room in Mecca filled with screens and maps, where staff use high-tech tools including AI for round-the-clock monitoring. About a dozen staff members sit in rows before desktop computers with a large display at the front, zooming in on crowd movements around the holy sites. On hillsides nearby, cameras that resemble little white robots film buildings, roads and pathways along the haj route, which winds more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) between Mecca and Mount Arafat. Nazier said the constant monitoring is aimed at averting traffic collisions with pedestrians on crowded routes while also making sure there are buses available to minimise walking time in the desert heat. It is a decade since the haj suffered its worst disaster, a stampede that killed up to 2,300 people during the "stoning of the devil" ritual. Hundreds also died in stampedes in 2006, 1998 and 1994. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death or asphyxiated when a tunnel ventilation system failed. With its cutting-edge technology, "the control room is our eye on the ground," said Mohammed al-Qarni, who oversees the haj and the year-round umrah pilgrimage at the transport centre. Artificial intelligence helps to determine "the flow on the (roads to the holy sites), and detects emergency situations even before they occur", he told AFP, adding that the technology can help assess the number of people in a single place. Cameras and AI can estimate if a site has reached maximum capacity, allowing authorities to divert the flow of pilgrims, Qarni said. During the holy month of Ramadan this year, the system spotted when the Grand Mosque had reached full capacity. "The flow to the Haram (Grand Mosque) was stopped and the process controlled," he said. The use of advanced technology extends beyond logistics, also tracking unregistered pilgrims, who accounted for most of the 1,301 deaths in sweltering conditions last year. As temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) last year, unauthorised worshippers who lack access to air-conditioned tents and buses bore the brunt. Temperatures are forecast to top 40C this week. The haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Yet not everyone is able to secure or afford one of the official permits, which are allocated to countries by quota and awarded to individuals by lottery. To try to stop anyone sneaking in this year, a fleet of camera-equipped drones is monitoring entrances into Mecca. "We use artificial intelligence and other tools like drones and thermal imaging cameras," the director general of public security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, told reporters. Meanwhile, the Saudi Special Forces for Roads Security said it was using "smart thermal imaging" to monitor the perimeter of Mecca and the holy sites.
