Assalaamualaikum w.r.w.b, excellent latest advice and updates. JazakAllah khayran wa ehsanal jazaa!

jazaAllah Khayran for such useful information.

Hi.. How was the toilet facilities? Was it crowded as usual with long que.?

thanks for all the info. May Allah bless you. Ameen

Many new facilities have been introduced and new methods have been adopted by the Government of KSA to avoid stampedes. The best thing they had done is the construction of Metro Trains and using them for transportation of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat, from there to Muzdalifa and then to Mina/Jamarat. They have three Metro Railway station each at Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifa
(Mina 1, Mina 2 and Mina 3,
Arafat 1, Arafat2, Arafat3, Muzdalifa1, Muzdalifa2 and Muzdalifa3); and one Railway station at Jamarath.

The pilgrims are divided into 3 groups and each is assigned one railway station. For example people from Andhra Pradesh and a few other states were allotted Station No 1. It means we can board the train at Mina 1 and get down at Arafat 1 only. Again we boarded at Arafat 1 and got down at Muzdalifa 1. Again we boarded the train at Muzdalifa 1 and had to get down at Mina 1. The train would not stop at any other station. This prevented people from gathering at the same station. Even people using one railway station were taken at different times and in different routes there by reducing further congestion.
Rami was also similarly organized. People had to use one road to go to any place and they were allowed to return by a different road. None were allowed to go in the opposite direction. Whenever the crowd seemed to be large at any site, for example Jamarat, people were stopped at intervals and after the crowd is reduced, they were allowed to proceed. So also pilgrims were not allowed to stay or rest at any place so that the flow is continued. Sufficient water was available at all places except Muzdalifa. I advise future pilgrims to collect at least 2 litres of water at Arafat before leaving for Muzdalifa. It is also advised that Tawaf-e-ziyarah may be done preferably on 11th Zilhajja between 11 am and 12 noon when the crowd will be very less. Carry an umbrella, enough water mixed with oral rehydration sachets and some fruit etc. I found a very healthy and well built young man fallen on the ground in Mataf as he was feeling dizzy because he had not eaten anything. We offered him orange juice and a few biscuits. It helped him to recover. Those suffering from diabetes should also carry food and candies as the distances covered and the stress may lower the sugar levels and that can cause great harm.

Haj will be coming in Summer for the next decade. The temperatures may soar as high as 46°C. It was very hot and your energy may be be drained in an hour or two. So pilgrims are advised to be very careful.

One thing the pilgrims should not forget is the use of LABAN. This is nothing but bottled Lassi. It is available in many flavors. If it is used abundantly, you may not suffer from cough. Many pilgrims suffer with cough because of dry throat. Many think it is due to drinking cold water or cold drinks. But the cough occurs because you lose much water and it is due to the dryness in the throat that a person experiences dry cough. Taking Laban or butter milk will go a long way in preventing such cough.