PPIH prepares Shalawat bus stop attendants for full 24-hour operation

Mecca (ANTARA) - Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Organising Officers (PPIH) are ensuring the smooth conduct of worship for Indonesian prospective pilgrims by preparing attendants at Shalawat bus stops that operate 24 hours a day to facilitate mobility from hotels to Masjidil Haram and vice versa. Ahmad Hajri, a student at Al-Azhar University in Egypt serving at Halte 3 Sector 4 in the Syishah-Raudhah area, explained that the presence of attendants is vital on the ground. This is because many prospective pilgrims are still confused by the transportation system, even though the buses are equipped with route number markers. “Many prospective pilgrims have difficulty communicating, even hesitating to stop the bus. Therefore, we are here so they can head to the mosque without any obstacles,” said Hajri in Mecca on Friday. Hajri gave an example of conditions in his assigned area, which covers four hotels with the majority of prospective pilgrims from East Java. “One of our main tasks is to stop buses coming from the mosque. If pilgrims get off late, they could be taken to stop four, which is the location for hotels of pilgrims from Lombok. That’s why the role of the stop guards here is very significant in protecting the pilgrims,” said the young man from Jambi Province. The Shalawat buses are equipped with stickers numbered according to their respective service routes. Overall, the attendants have arranged 23 routes spread across 10 sectors in five main areas of Mecca: Syishah, Raudhah, Misfalah, Jarwal, and Aziziyah. On each route, there are stop points that are intensively guarded by transportation attendants. They work in a 12-hour shift system to ensure prospective pilgrims receive full assistance.