RIYADH: With the 2026 Hajj season now over and pilgrims leaving Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, Saudi authorities have begun a major operation: dismantling temporary facilities, maintaining infrastructure and preparing the holy sites for next year’s pilgrimage.
According to official statistics, 1,707,301 pilgrims performed Hajj in 2026, up 2.04 percent from 2025. Of the total, 1,546,655 arrived from outside the Kingdom, including 1,485,729 who traveled by air, while 160,646 were citizens or residents of Saudi Arabia.
In Mina, temporary facilities are inspected, repaired, dismantled, or stored for reuse. Roads are cleared, cooling systems are serviced, and emergency equipment is returned to regional facilities after technical inspections.
According to T.J., a representative of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, the authority begins operational closure procedures immediately after the pilgrimage ends.
“After the end of the Hajj season, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority begins carrying out the operational closure of seasonal emergency facilities and preparing them for upcoming seasons, according to organized plans that ensure maintaining readiness and making the best use of resources,” the representative told Arab News.
