JEDDAH, 24 August — Saudi Arabia and India signed an agreement yesterday covering arrangements relating to Indian pilgrims performing the next Haj.
The agreement was signed between Haj Minister Iyad Madani and Omar Abdullah, India’s minister of state for foreign affairs and Haj. India is the first country to sign an accord for the upcoming annual pilgrimage.
The agreement follows detailed discussions regarding the 120,000 Indian Haj pilgrims, Omar told a news conference at the Consulate General of India.
Omar, who was accompanied by Swash Pawan Singh, joint secretary for the Gulf and Haj, Sanat Kaul, joint secretary Civil Aviation, Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad, Consul General Syed Akbaruddin and Haj Consul Anwar Haleem, said the number of pilgrims for the next Haj remained the same as last year.
Of them, 72,000 would come through the Central Haj Committee, about 38,000 through private tour operators and 10,000 others are resident in the Kingdom and other countries.
Saudi Arabian Airlines will transport 30,500 pilgrims this year, the minister said, adding that last year the airline had transported 20,500 from three of the eight Indian embarkation points.
The minister also reassured Saudi Arabia that all the pilgrims would return after the Haj. “It will be the consulate’s endeavor to see that no single Indian pilgrim stays back after the pilgrimage. So far, our track record has been excellent,” he added.
He also said that with the help of the Saudi government, for the first time an audiovisual program on Haj rituals has been made available for the benefit of Indian pilgrims. Furthermore, a training and orientation program has already been introduced at the district level back in India, for which trainers from different states undertake courses undertaken by the embassy and consulate officials,” Omar added.
Elaborating on the contents of the agreement, Omar said every care had been taken to make the pilgrimage as smooth and comfortable as possible for the pilgrims. The number of pilgrims under each Moallim had been reduced from last year’s 7,000 to 5,000.
“This is done so that greater personal attention can be paid by the Moallim to his group of pilgrims,” he said.
Referring to the additional facilities provided for the pilgrims, Omar said: “This year, pilgrims will be coming with Saudi riyals from their Indian embarkation points, unlike previous years when they carried foreign exchange drafts and cashed them at the Haj Terminal. This will help in the smooth transfer of pilgrims from the Haj Terminal to their accommodation in Makkah.”
Other aspects of the agreement are that tents for Indian pilgrims will be erected within the territorial boundary of Mina for their four days stay and air-conditioned buses for their transportation will be provided.
This year, arrangements have also been made to assist pilgrims in the stoning ritual of the Jamarat (Satan). Staff will be deputed at different points from the pilgrims’ tents to the Jamarat flyover to advise them on the timing to go for the stoning ritual. Their flow will also be regulated to ensure that no there are no accidents.
