The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, represented by the Madinah Region Municipality, announced the intensification of its operational and field preparations for the holy month of Ramadan 1445 AH, through the launch of a comprehensive plan aimed at raising the level of service readiness and enhancing the efficiency of municipal performance. These efforts come within the framework of ensuring the continued provision of the highest quality services to the residents and visitors of the Prophet's City (peace and blessings be upon him) during this blessed month, which witnesses increased population density and commercial activity.
The importance of Medina during Ramadan and the context of oversight efforts
Madinah holds a special place in the hearts of Muslims worldwide, being the second holiest city in Islam and the place of migration of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). During Ramadan, the number of visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad increases significantly, coming to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque. This places considerable pressure on municipal services and infrastructure. Historically, the Saudi Arabian government has dedicated all its resources to serving pilgrims, and these seasonal plans are an extension of its long-standing efforts to provide a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment for Umrah pilgrims and visitors, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes enhancing the Hajj and Umrah experience.
Details of the integrated operational plan
The municipality explained that the current operational plan involves more than 5,700 specialized personnel, supported by a fleet of over 1,230 modern pieces of equipment and machinery. This large mobilization reflects the scale of field preparations and the municipal teams' ability to effectively manage the anticipated increase in traffic and the surge in commercial and consumer activity. The plan aims to cover all service aspects, from cleanliness and environmental health to the maintenance of roads and public facilities, to ensure smooth traffic flow and the comfort of all.
Intensifying health and commercial oversight
The core of the plan focuses on intensifying health and commercial inspection tours, with a total of 17,000 field visits to be conducted. These include over 13,000 tours dedicated to monitoring health-related establishments such as restaurants, kitchens, and food outlets to ensure their compliance with health and food safety regulations. Approximately 4,000 inspection tours will also be carried out on other commercial activities. To guarantee the highest level of reliability, the plan includes collecting nearly 8,000 food and water samples for laboratory testing to verify their conformity to approved standards. This integrated monitoring system aims to protect consumer health and provide them with a safe and healthy environment.
Increase the readiness of emergency teams
In addition to preventative oversight, the municipality has raised the readiness level of its emergency teams by implementing 12 contingency plans to ensure a rapid response to emergencies such as rainfall or technical malfunctions, and to guarantee the continued provision of high-quality municipal services during peak times. The ministry affirmed that it will continue its oversight and field operations throughout the holy month of Ramadan, closely monitoring performance indicators and regularly measuring implementation efficiency to enhance operational readiness and improve the quality of services provided to the residents and visitors of Medina.
