Riyadh: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issued directives to service providers to ensure timely meal distribution for domestic pilgrims during the upcoming Hajj season. Emphasizing adherence to scheduled meal times, the ministry outlined specific distribution timings for meals at the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Any delay in the arrangement will lead to necessary actions, including compensation measures.
According to the directives, breakfast on the day of Arafat will be served from after the dawn prayer until 10 am, followed by lunch from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, and dinner at Muzdalifah immediately after pilgrims arrive from Arafat. The meal times on the Day of Tarwiyah and the Days of Tashreeq will be from 5 am to 10 am for breakfast, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm for lunch, and 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm for dinner.
In case of delays, pilgrims will be entitled to compensation, which may double if the delay exceeds the specified corrective period. Compensation rates entail 5% of the total package value for lunch delays on the day of Arafat and up to 5% of the package value, with a maximum of SR200, for delays in meal service at Muzdalifah. In the event of failure to serve lunch on Eid Al-Adha, compensation amounts to 5% of the package value, capped at SR500, while for other days of Hajj, it is 3% of the package value, not exceeding SR300, depending on the specific circumstances. The Ministry also stipulates compensation in instances of meal service failure at the holy sites, ranging from 5% of the total package value for significant delays to predetermined amounts for each meal based on the severity and timing of the delay.
These directives aim to ensure the smooth distribution of meals and enhance the overall experience of domestic Hajj pilgrims during their sacred journey.