Technology played a great role during Haj this year

new delhi — This year, as around 2.35 million Muslims from across the world gathered in Makkah “to renew their sense of purpose in life, erase past sins and beg God for forgiveness and guidance” at the annual Haj pilgrimage, technology and the social media played a major role to ensure that things didn’t get of hand.

The density of the crowd was staggering, with some estimates suggesting more than six people per square metre during the annual pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia ensured the safe passage and mass movement of pilgrims leveraging the power of technology to enhance security, communication, transportation, accommodation and health services.

The Saudi Ministry of Health set up more than 15 centres for disease control and prevention at key points of entry.

According to the official, some 2,100 free medical procedures were performed on pilgrims who arrived this year in advance of the Haj. Ensuring pilgrims’ safety through measures that are minimising separation, identifying fatigue, avoiding accidents and more, is a massive challenge that is now largely mitigated with the help of technology, the official said.

To this end, the country introduced electronic identification bracelets that were distributed among pilgrims. The unique water-resistant and GPS-enabled devices contained detailed personal information of pilgrims, allowing the Haj authorities to identify individuals in need of help and provide the necessary care.

In their effort to efficiently communicate with the pilgrims, the authorities not only harnessed the power of technology but also capitalised on social media and digital communication tools.

Throughout the pilgrimage, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah was sending out regular text messages to individuals’ mobile phones. These messages advised pilgrims on the appropriate procedures for Haj and contained information in their respective languages.

The Haj team deployed on the ground was proficient in more than a dozen languages to ensure that all the needs of pilgrims were met.

2.35M muslims from across the world gathered in makkah for Haj

100K security agents were appointed to monitor the pilgrims