A proposal to raise the capacity of pilgrims in the upcoming Hajj season and increase the numbers of pilgrims from inside and outside Saudi Arabia was approved.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved on Thursday a proposal to increase the capacity of Mecca to accept more pilgrims during the next Hajj seasons.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh bin Tahir Benten confirmed the news by expressing his thanks to King Salman, the Crown Prince and the Deputy Crown Prince for their approval to raise the capacity of pilgrims in the upcoming Hajj season and increase the numbers of pilgrims from inside and outside Saudi Arabia in accordance with the regulations.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Dr. Benten said that “the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, who is also Head of the Hajj Supreme Committee, stressed that raising number of pilgrims will be gradually implemented.”

This came during his meeting with the heads of Hajj delegations of several Arab and Islamic states.

In 2007, more than 1.7 million foreign and 746,511 domestic pilgrims performed Hajj, making a total of more than 2.4 million Hajj pilgrims.

However last year, 1,325,372 foreign and 537,537 domestic pilgrims performed Hajj, making a total of 1,862,909 pilgrims. This was the least number of pilgrims recorded in the last 10 years.

[vuukle]