JEDDAH: All preparations have been made to make the Haj smooth and comfortable for the Indian pilgrims coming through the Haj Committee of India (HCI), Consul General Sayeed Ahmad Baba said yesterday.
“This year, all Haj committee pilgrims will stay in the traditional boundaries of the tent city of Mina and arrangements are in place to host them,” Baba said.
A total of 168,000 pilgrims from India will perform Haj this year out of which 123,211 are coming through the Haj committee and the rest through private tour operators.
“The first flight of Indian pilgrims will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 30. The Indian mission is fully geared to provide them with the best possible services,” Baba said. He added that the pilgrims would travel to Jeddah on two airlines — Air India and Saudi Arabian Airlines -— from 17 Indian cities.
Speaking about the break-up of the passengers between the two carriers, Haj Consul B.S. Mubarak said Air India would fly 63,211 pilgrims and Saudi Arabian Airlines would carry 60,000 pilgrims.
The first flight carrying 300 pilgrims from Hyderabad will arrive in Madinah at 9.25 a.m. on Oct. 30. Another flight with 200 pilgrims from Srinagar would land at King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s Haj Terminal at 2.20 p.m. the same day, Mubarak said. To assist consulate officials, the government of India has deputed five senior government officers as coordinators, 135 doctors, 146 paramedics, 51 assistant Haj officers and 171 Haj assistants.
Pilgrims will be allowed to carry 45 kg in check-in baggage, 10 kg as hand baggage and 10 liters of Zamzam on their return journey. Air India has made it clear that it would not allow any excess baggage. “So, in order to help pilgrims send their excess baggage by cargo, both the consulate and Air India have taken initiatives through different cargo agents to provide weighing machine facilities right at the pilgrims’ place of stay where they can hand over their excess baggage to cargo agents who would send it to pilgrims’ home addresses at reasonable charges,” Baba said.
This year, the HCI has taken the responsibility of allotting accommodation stickers in Mumbai so that pilgrims are not delayed for long periods when they arrive at the Kingdom’s airports.
Transport arrangements have also been made for 54,500 pilgrims staying at a distance from the Grand Mosque to help them travel to and from the mosque at prayer times.
On an experimental basis this year, the Haj establishments have been given the job of providing basic services to 30 percent of the Indian pilgrims in their buildings.Building owners used to take care of this service previously, Baba said.
