Saudi Arabia has begun issuing pilgrims with identification bracelets ahead of the formal start of the hajj on Saturday (September 10th), after a 2015 stampede killed around 2,300 people, AFP reported Friday.
Each plasticised paper bracelet carries a bar code readable by smartphone. It indicates the pilgrim's identity, nationality and place of lodging in Mecca.
Additional data includes a contact in the pilgrim's delegation and details provided when his or her visa was issued, according to vice secretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Issa Rawas.
"The aim is to equip all pilgrims" from abroad, who are expected to number more than 1.4 million, he said.
In other safety measures implemented this year, access to the Kaaba has been suspended during prayers, and the walk around it is stopped to avoid overcrowding.
Security also has been reinforced around the site, with officers in red berets and camouflage uniforms manning green plastic barricades to control the crowd.
