AQABA (Petra) - Minister of Transport Saud Nseirat on Monday announced the ministry's intention to establish a pilgrims' city in Aqaba to tackle the growing number of Egyptian Umra and Hajj pilgrims that transit through the country.
Egyptian pilgrims passing through Jordan on the way to Saudi Arabia, expected to exceed 400,000 this year, will be able to stay in the city, located in the Rabia area, in addition to an existing one in Maan.
The minister made the announcement at a press conference yesterday after he concluded a coordination meeting with Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Nader Dahabi.
During the meeting, Nseirat said he coordinated with the Egyptian tourism minister to arrange the entry of Egyptians through approved tourist offices, stressing that the pilgrims' return dates should be fixed in advance to prevent congestion.
Nseirat said that the Arab Bridge Maritime Company (ABMC) maintained its five-ferry fleet this year at a cost of JD4 million, adding that it also had rented a ship to carry the pilgrims' luggage.
ABMC Deputy Director General Hussein Soub said the company is working at full capacity of up to 10,000 passengers a day, but the port cannot allow more than two ships to dock at the same time, which causes delays in the transportation schedule.
The company, in coordination with relevant authorities in Aqaba, put forward a detailed plan to solve the increase in the number of Egyptian pilgrims, especially in the last 10 days of Ramadan when it used to exceed 300,000, Soub said.
Aqaba Governor Sameer Mobaideen, Director General of Aqaba Ports Director Awad Maaitah, ABMC CEO Alaa Bataineh and the Egyptian consul in Aqaba, Baha Eddin Desouqi, also attended yesterday's meeting.
© Jordan Times 2007
