CALICUT, 30 November 2004 — The first Indian Haj flight to the holy city of Madinah carrying 280 pilgrims will leave here on Dec. 13.
India sends the second largest contingent of Haj pilgrims after Indonesia.
The Saudia flight will take off at 11 a.m., the chief district administrator Rachana Shah, who is the convener of the Kerala Haj Committee, said.
As many as 82,000 pilgrims, an increase of 10,000 from last year, are leaving for the holy places under the aegis of the official Haj Committee. They will enjoy subsidized air tickets, accommodation, medical care and services of interpreters.
Additionally, 47,000 pilgrims will use the arrangements by private operators. Some 30,000 pilgrims will fly directly to Madinah instead of Jeddah this year.
The number of embarkation points for the pilgrims in India also goes up to 12 this time. Approval has been granted for renting 60,000 accommodation units. Cooked Indian food will also be provided to pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
The Kingdom’s flag carrier is operating a total of 184 services to and from Bombay, Madras, Calicut, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Srinagar while Air-India will fly pilgrims from Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Jaipur and Nagpur.
Saudi Arabian Airlines will transport 56,000 pilgrims to Madinah and Jeddah and back while Air-India will fly the remaining passengers.
Air-India will operate 92 services. Indian Airlines operates supporting flights from Srinagar, Guwahati and Patna to Delhi, and from Calcutta and Aurangabad to Bombay.
Besides Calicut, pilgrims will directly fly to Madinah from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Srinagar.
