Free car repair service for pilgrims going to Makkah

By Mohammed Al-Kinani

JEDDAH – Pilgrims traveling to the holy places can now enjoy a free car repair service on the highways leading to Makkah.

The program was launched by Makkah’s Technical and Vocational Training Board (TVTB) to help drivers who experience any mechanical difficulty while carrying pilgrims.

According to Dr. Rashid Al-Zahrani, the service also allows trainees of the technical institutes and vocational centers in Makkah to gain more experience in fixing cars.
“We have made all the necessary security arrangements so that we can provide this service to the guests of Allah,” Zahrani said.

Al-Zahrani said the service is free of charge and will also be available for next year’s Haj. This will create more jobs, he added.

There are four vehicles, fully equipped with all safety, emergency and mechanical maintenance requirements.
“There are six trained technicians onboard each of these vehicles,” said Hasan Ghandoura, the program’s supervisor.
The teams have already helped to fix 335 vehicles.
“Some 228 vehicles were found to have minor problems. Another 53 were shipped to car repair centers for advanced maintenance,” he said.

Ghandoura stressed that the team works around the clock.
“Pilgrims traveling to Makkah can just call (0544797542) to receive help,” he said.