BOMBAY, 22 January 2004 — It has been easy to obtain Haj visas this season. This is because of Saudi Arabia’s new Haj policy, according to Yousuf Khareda, partner of Al-Khalid Tours & Travels.
The Haj quota for India this year is 130,000, of which 72,000 are coming through the Haj Committee of India (HCI), a semi-government organization.
“Up to 40,000 other pilgrims are expected to travel to Makkah through private tour operators,” Ebrahim Hasham Kolsawala, president of the All India Haj Umrah Tour Organizers Association, said.
The association, recognized by both Indian and Saudi governments, has more than 400 members from all over the country. However, he added, the Saudi diplomatic mission’s work of issuing visas has been limited, as every tour operator is compulsorily required to bring the “Taashreeh” (temporary residence permit for pilgrims) from the Ministry of Haj.
To avoid any confusion, the Haj Ministry has issued stickers in accordance with the number of pilgrims issued with the Taashreeh. “No sticker, no visas” is the policy of the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in India, Kolsawala said.
This year, the Saudi Consulate in Bombay has entrusted the association with the responsibility to collect passports of Haj pilgrims from the tour operators and submit them for visa stamping.
“Haj tour operators or Haj visa seekers are therefore no longer required to go to the Saudi Consulate in Bombay for Haj visas. They need to approach the association for the purpose.
Hasham denied that the association was working as a sub-office of the Saudi Consulate. “You may at best say the association is working in parallel with the HCI, but it’s all for the benefit of Haj pilgrims.”
