kollam: The Hajis from Kerala need no longer fear that they will get lost in the crowd. The Haj committee of India has developed a new mobile application called the ‘Indian Haji accommodation locator’ which helps find the accommodation of Hajis at Mecca, Madina, and Mina in Saudi Arabia. It also gives information about the exact coordinate location in case a Haji is lost in the crowd or at the accommodation areas.
The application, which can be downloaded on Android and Apple platforms from Google Play and iTune stores for free, reflects the tricolour as the background for easier identification of the pilgrim’s nationality.
“Many pilgrims, especially the young generation, who have registered with us have downloaded the application which also helps the organisers to track a pilgrim if he or she has gone missing,” said Mujeeb Rahman Puthalath, Kerala state Haj committee coordinator.
The Hajis will be given a Saudi Arabian SIM card activated to use throughout the 36 days of pilgrimage, with free call facility for up to 10 riyals. “The mobile numbers and details of Hajis are uploaded on the website of Consulate-General of India in Jeddah, from where they could be tracked,” Mr. Mujeeb added.
Meanwhile Other state pilgrim vehicles worry MVD
Even as the police and motor vehicles department gear up to deal with the severe violations by vehicles during the upcoming Sabarimala mandala season, they don’t have data on the traffic violations or mishaps caused by the vehicles from other states.
Senior MVD officials admit that out-of-state vehicles which are in a hurry to operate the maximum number of trips often cause accidents. However, in a reply to an RTI query, the state Crime Records Bureau said it had no separate data on the mishaps caused by such vehicles.
As per their statistic, every year after 2010, the accidents in the state were high in December and January during the peak season. Close to 370 accidents occur in each of these months but the police do not properly reprimand them since they can’t cause inconvenience to the pilgrims.
“Every year, we recommend other-state MVDs to assure that only legal vehicles which have adequate fitness cross the border. However, it was not acknowledged until in 2010 a truck toppled killing 11 pilgrims. Last year, we were able to maintain a zero death rate,” said Assistant Transport Commissioner P.K. Stehen,
The MVD had launched a safety corridor project in 300-km festival zone by which they reduced the accident deaths. However, there was only a drop of four per cent accident rates in 2013 mandala season compared to the earlier one. This year, the MVD will further widen the corridor and add Kottayam-Kumaly road in it, said an official.
