Panel to check Haj accidents

DUBAI, April 13: Saudi authorities have taken up steps to consider ways to prevent accidents that have plagued the Haj pilgrimage for the second year in succession. The Saudi Government has set up a panel to study how to reduce congestion at sites like the three pillars representing Devil at Al Jamraat at Mina and other places. Reports here quoting Saudi officials said the proposals included regulating the flow of the pilgrims and widening the bridge nearby where the stampede killed 118 pilgrims this year.

Twice in this decade, stampedes caused the death of several people near Al Jamraat.With about two million people from 100 countries making it to Haj, crowd management has become a major problem for the Saudi authorities.