JEDDAH, 12 December 2004 — The first flights transporting Indian Haj pilgrims will arrive in Jeddah and Madinah tomorrow.

Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farook will receive them at the Haj Terminal here and Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed at Madinah airport. Three flights will land in Madinah bringing pilgrims from Ahmedabad, Calicut and Hyderabad, aside from flights from Madras and Srinagar that will arrive at the Haj Terminal on the first day. The last flight in the first phase will arrive from Jaipur on Jan. 16.

Outlining the action plan for the upcoming Haj, the ambassador told a press conference at the Consulate General of India that 127,000 pilgrims would come from India. They include 82,000 coming through the Haj Committee of India (HCI) and the remaining 45,000 through the private tour operators (PTOs).

“For the first time, pilgrims numbering 20,957 are being directly flown to Madinah,” Farook said.

“Pilgrims coming through the HCI have increased by more than 10,000 over last year,” he said, adding that they numbered 71,133 in 2001, 70,276 in 2002, 69,795 in 2003 and 71,711 in 2004.

The number of embarkation points in India have increased from 12 last year to 15 this time, but the additional three — Aurangabad, Guwahati and Patna are hub-and-spoke points.

As many as 291 flights are being operated this time, 156 by Saudi Arabian Airlines and 135 by Air-India, which is operating in association with Indian Airlines.

The total number of pilgrims departing from Madinah will be 24,894, to Delhi and Bombay. The youngest pilgrim is going to be from Jharkhand state — 10-month-old Mohammed Sekhawat Ali and the oldest pilgrim, 106-year-old Karamat Ali from Uttar Pradesh. Maximum pilgrims are coming from Uttar Pradesh — 14,741. The smallest number is 14 coming from Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Pilgrims coming from Kerala number 9,310 and from Hyderabad 5,459.

“For the first time, Indian pilgrims coming though the HCI are being provided meals in Mina,” Farook said, adding that three Internet cafes will be set up for exclusive use of pilgrims at three of the consulate’s branch offices in Makkah.

“Year after year, our effort is to get accommodation close to the Holy Haram,” he said. Total housing units as close as up to 200 meters are 9,289. Last year those were 7,706. Total units between 201-300 meters are 3,015 and between 301 and 400 meters 4,150. Housing units in the Makaziyah area (Madinah) are 20,000.

The ambassador said that the total strength of medical team and others on deputation will be 380 this time. They include 105 doctors including 72 women, 112 paramedics including 30 women, 41 assistant Haj officers and 122 Haj assistants. Besides, there are 625 locally recruited staff — 400 in Makkah and 115 in Madinah. They all speak different Indian languages. The medical team is equipped with various medical instruments including ECG machines, nebulizers and incubators, aside from nine ambulances — six in Makkah, two in Madinah and one in Jeddah.

The Makkah medical wing has a 20-bed hospital with nine dispensaries and a medical task force with a mobile team. The Madinah medical wing has an eight-bed hospital and four dispensaries.

The ambassador said Abdul Majid Padar, consul Haj, would be overall in charge of Haj arrangements, with Hifzur Rahman, consul administration, press and information, stationed in Madinah, and two vice consuls in Jeddah. “The Indian government subsidizes the pilgrimage costs of its nationals that amounts to two billions rupees,” the ambassador said.

“No other government gives as much subsidy as the Indian government,” he added.

The scooter brigade, especially meant to assist pilgrims who lose their way, has been increased from nine last year to 13 this year — 10 in Makkah and three in Madinah.

The number of pilgrims staying in rubats will be 1,624. They include 346 in Hyderabad, 154 in Arcot, 637 in Tonk, 150 in Bhopal and 337 in Bohra. The insurance compensation scheme covered last year amounted to SR206,832. The amount includes SR91,810 toward compensating the loss of cash reported by pilgrims in Makkah and SR28,650 for loss of cash among pilgrims in Madinah. The HCI, Bombay, gave SR2,560 to 39 pilgrims who lost either cash or baggage.

The ambassador said 16 Indian pilgrims, including three local residents, were among those killed in last year’s stampede during the annual pilgrimage. “We’ve sent a list of the dead with full details to the local authorities for further action, including compensation,” he said.

Insurance compensation for this year’s pilgrims dying due to accident, fire, stampede, etc., will be 300,000 Indian rupees for pilgrims up to 60 years, 200,000 rupees for those between 60 and 65 years, and 100,000 rupees for those above 65 years and children up to 15 years, he said, adding that in the event of pilgrims reporting loss of cash the compensation to be paid will be SR4,000 for the loss occurring during the first 10 days of stay in the Kingdom, SR3,000 for between 11-20 days of stay and SR2,100 for loss between 21-45 days of stay. The compensation will be limited to 250 cases only.