Pilgrims perform tawaaf on golf carts at Makkah’s Grand Mosque

In a significant development, authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have introduced smart golf carts for pilgrims to facilitate their performance of the tawaaf (circumambulation) rituals around the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

This introduction aligns with the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan on March 11, which typically signifies the peak season for Umrah pilgrimages.

The primary objective of this initiative is to support individuals with special needs, the elderly, and those with physical challenges in completing the Umrah pilgrimage comfortably and securely.

Various video clips shared on social media platforms depict pilgrims being transported by golf carts as they circle the Kaaba on the newly designated floor within the Grand Mosque.

Back in 2014, efforts were initiated to explore the utilization of smart golf carts following an instruction issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah. Dr. Faisal Wafa, chairman of the technical committee for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Expansion Project of the Grand Mosque, oversaw this study.