Riyadh: In a significant move, the authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have launched smart golf carts for the pilgrims to perform tawaaf (circumambulation) rituals around the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
The launch coincides with the holy month of Ramzan, which started on March 11, which usually marks the peak season for Umrah.
The initiative aims to assist individuals with special needs, elderly, and physically challenged individuals in performing the Umrah pilgrimage with ease and reassurance.
Video clips circulated on social media platforms show golf carts carrying pilgrims circling the Kaaba on the circular bridge of the Grand Mosque’s new designated floor.
Watch the video here
In 2014, a study was underway to use smart golf carts with instruction to this effect was issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Dr. Faisal Wafa, chairman of the technical committee for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Expansion Project of the Grand Mosque.
In recent months, the Kingdom has unveiled a host of facilities for Muslims abroad to come to the country to perform the Umrah.
Umrah is a pilgrimage to Islam’s two holiest sites in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and can be performed at any time of the year. It differs from the Haj, which takes place once a year.