This year, the Saudi authorities are ensuring a safe Hajj pilgrimage with enhanced heat preparedness, improved crowd management and massive crackdown on illegal visitors

June 2, 2025 - More than one million pilgrims have gathered in the holy city of Mecca ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage which is to begin from June 4. The administration is gearing up to cope with the pilgrim rush and the climate in the Kingdom as temperatures are forecast to go beyond 40°C this week during the pilgrimage.

This year, the Hajj authorities in the Kingdom are taking strict measures and all precautions to ensure a safe Hajj pilgrimage for the visitors. To address heat-related health risks, more than 40 government agencies and nearly 250,000 personnel have been mobilised. Medical teams are on alert and medical facilities have been strategically placed across pilgrimage sites, equipped to handle emergencies and heatstroke cases. To prevent heatstrokes, etc., shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres) and around 400 cooling units will be deployed, report news agencies quoting Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Minister Taqfiq al-Rabiah.

Meanwhile, to prevent the recurrence of the 2024 overcrowding and heat-related deaths, the authorities have cracked down on illegal entries and are strictly monitoring the arrival of visitors into the country.

According to reports, Saudi Arabia has barred more than 269,000 unauthorised individuals from entering Mecca for the annual pilgrimage. The government blames unauthorised pilgrims for overcrowding during Hajj, noting that many of last year’s heat-related deaths were among such individuals.

Anyone attempting to perform Hajj without proper authorisation may face penalties, including fines of up to $5,000 and possible deportation, the authorities have warned.

With Media Inputs