Jakarta. As the departure time approaches, the Religious Affairs Ministry ensures that all services for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims while in the Holy Land are ready.

Director of Foreign Hajj Services at the Ministry, Muchlis M. Hanafi, said on Tuesday that operational departures from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia will begin on May 2.

"In accordance with the directive from the Religious Affairs Minister, we are striving to prepare everything meticulously and carefully to provide the best service to the Hajj pilgrims," he said.

Muchlis explained that services in Saudi Arabia cover five areas: meals, transportation, accommodation, general services, and services during the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage.

For accommodation, the Ministry has prepared 205 hotels in Mecca and 95 hotels in Medina to house Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.

"There will be 203,320 regular Hajj pilgrims we will serve across 300 hotels in Mecca and Medina," he said.

In Mecca, the farthest hotel from the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) is 4.5 kilometers away. Meanwhile, in Medina, all hotels are located in the Markaziyah area, around one kilometer away.

Regarding transportation, Muchlis revealed that services are provided in three areas. First, intercity pilgrimage transport, serving routes such as Medina – Mecca, Jeddah – Mecca, Mecca – Jeddah, and Mecca – Medina.

Second, the "Shalawat" buses will shuttle pilgrims between hotels and the Grand Mosque. Third, transportation for the peak Hajj rituals in Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina.

"These are the three transport areas we’ve prepared for Indonesian pilgrims," he said.

Regarding catering, the Ministry has partnered with 55 catering companies to supply 84 meals in Mecca and 15 meals during the peak Hajj days at Armuzna. In Medina, 21 companies will prepare 27 meals for each pilgrim.

"In total, we’re preparing 127 meals per pilgrim while they are in Saudi Arabia, amounting to 25.8 million meal boxes," he explained.

Catering companies are required to use Indonesian-made ingredients, particularly for spices. Of the 611 tons of spices needed, 475 tons have already been sourced from Indonesia.

"Domestic products are playing a major role in this year’s Hajj operations," he said.

To address traffic congestion during the 7th to 15th of Dhu al-Hijjah in Mecca, ready-to-eat meals are being prepared and delivered in advance. These meals, including dishes like rendang and opor, are produced domestically. So far, 2.4 million meal packages have been delivered.

For services during the peak of Hajj from the 8th to the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the Ministry is collaborating with eight companies for the first time. These companies will manage services for 203,320 pilgrims, covering everything from their arrival to departure, including support during the critical days at Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina.

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