Government | Sunday 7 August, 2016 3:01 am |

A total of 49,000 pilgrims, both Saudis and residents, will benefit from the low-cost Haj package through 76 companies and agencies this year.
The Ministry of Haj and Umrah on Thursday opened the application process for the pilgrimage under this category.
Registration for the same needs to be done electronically and the process is open 24 hours daily. Those who want to benefit from the program will have to provide the required information and mobile phone number. 
The ministry said the number of Haj companies exceeds 200, of which 76 are executing the low-cost Haj program. Complaints can be registered through the ministry’s communication centers.
Meanwhile, the authorities have installed 8,500 new air-coolers equipped with the latest technology in Mina tents.
An Australian company has completed the installation and will examine the coolers’ performance before the pilgrims start arriving in the city of tents.
The coolers will consume 55 percent less electric city, less water and emit fresh air with strong and speedy fans. They would bring down the inside temperature to 21°C and will not contribute to increasing the outside temperature. They might help control the spread of infections and diseases.
Last year, there was 33°C heat inside the tents as the old coolers were not efficient.