Saudi- 3,200 workers keep Prophet's Mosque clean

(MENAFN- Arab News) About 3,200 workers are engaged in cleaning the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. With the constant flow of pilgrims, this is no easy task. Workers are tasked with cleaning the marble floors, carpets and courtyards. The importance of cleaning the Holy Mosque premises increases in Ramadan, with the increasing number of worshippers during the holy month. Abdulwahed Hatab, public relations manager at the presidency of the department for Prophet's Mosque Affairs, said that the cleaning department is the body entrusted with this mission. "Work is divided into four shifts and there are enough personnel and teams to clean all parts of the mosque," he added. Operations involve learning mosque pillars, walls, ceilings, domes, floors and escalators. "Other teams are entrusted with cleaning the brass articles, the outside windows, the places where pigeons gather, as well as water facilities and bathrooms," he said. He said that work is divided according to locations and maps. "We have emergency plans to work out unexpected problems," Hatab said. "Once worshippers have their iftar, there is a mechanism in place to separate leftovers and place them in boxes allocated for this purpose," he said. In about 40 minutes, the place is clean again to receive people for Isha and Taraweeh prayers.