Jeddah: Besides major qualitative changes in the operation of the Indian Haj mission, Indian Hajis will be accommodated closer to the Masjid al-Haram Makkah from 2017 onwards, Consul General Mohammad Noor Rahman Sheikh said Sunday.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Noor Rahman said the distance of accommodation of green category pilgrims from the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah has been reduced from 1.5 kmtr to 1 kmtr while all pilgrims in Madinah will be housed in the central area close to the Masjid an-Nabawi.

"New contracts will be signed to upgrade the transportation of pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah by replacing old buses", he added.

Noor Rahman said these decisions were taken during a recent meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which is in charge of Haj affairs, in New Delhi.

"The bilateral Haj agreement between India and Saudi Arabia will be signed on January", he said.

Sheikh said the Haj mission on Sunday published advertisement in local media outlets inviting applications from landlords for renting buildings within one kilometer from the periphery of the Grand Mosque. The ad states that there is no need for kitchen facility because cooking will not be allowed in green category buildings in the central area of Makkah.

Sheikh said the authorities started enforcing the cooking ban since the Haj 2016. The Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah and the Civil Defense Department have given strict instructions in this regard, he added.

The Saudi authorities have asked property owners to remove all arrangements for cooking in buildings in the central area of Makkah and warned violators of fines and shutdowns.

Sheikh said all intending pilgrims will be informed that there will not be any cooking facilities in green category building.

He also said that the Haj mission has no plans to introduce catering services in Makkah or Madinah.

“It was a tough and unsuccessful experiment when we tried to serve food to pilgrims in their accommodations in Madinah for eight days. It involves a lot of money and logistics, apart from problems in catering to the tastes of pilgrims from different regions and states,” Sheikh said.

“We tell the pilgrims clearly that the Haj mission cannot take the responsibility of food and hence they can come prepared," Sheikh said.