JEDDAH, 6 November 2007 — The Consulate General of India said yesterday that arrangements for 55,278 male and 47,181 female Indian Haj pilgrims have been finalized. Apart from these pilgrims, who are coming through the Central Haj Committee, there will be others coming through tour operators.
Details of this year’s extensive arrangements, including travel plans, accommodation and medical facilities, were elaborated by Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, consul (Haj, P&I), at a press conference yesterday.
The Haj Terminal has been renovated and modernized so incoming pilgrims will not be detained for long periods of time while they undergo immigration formalities.
Last year, it took pilgrims four hours to complete formalities on arrival and four more hours for their transportation to come.
“This time it will take less time,” the consul general said. Those arriving in Madinah will spend an hour completing arrival formalities and transportation.
Dr. Sayeed said a conference at the Tawafa organization held on Nov. 3 discussed plans for the stoning ritual in Mina. “It was decided to follow last year’s procedure of allocating time slots for different countries,” he said.
The first four Air-India Haj flights will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 11, bringing in a total of 1,150 pilgrims from Lucknow, Srinagar and Nagpur to Jeddah and one other flight from Calcutta to Madinah. Saudi Arabian Airlines’ first flight will fly from Delhi to Madinah on Nov. 12. The airline will bring 444 pilgrims on three of its flights on the day. Saudia will be transporting pilgrims from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mumbai to Jeddah, and from Delhi and Hyderabad to Madinah.
In all 32,300 pilgrims will arrive in Jeddah and depart from Madinah, while 39,600 will arrive in Madinah and depart from Jeddah.
There will be 40,400 pilgrims arriving at and leaving from Jeddah. These pilgrims will come from Chennai, Jaipur, Srinagar, Kozhikode, Nagpur, Varanasi and Lucknow.
The oldest pilgrim will be 108-year-old Shaikh Imam Bi from Maharashtra. 107-year-old Saeed Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh follows him. The youngest pilgrim will be Moosa Ansari, two months old. Twelve of the pilgrims will be over 100 years of age, Dr. Sayeed said. The average age of pilgrims will be 53.95 (male) and 46 (female).
Accommodation for all pilgrims has been provided in five categories. 85 percent of pilgrims will stay within the traditional boundaries of Makkah as against 60 percent last year, Dr. Sayeed said. Those staying in the fifth category (Aziziah) of accommodation will be 6 km from the Grand Mosque.
There will be 46,871 pilgrims in first category accommodation, 25,141 in second category, 15,770 in third category, 3,070 in fourth category and 9,716 in fifth category.
For the first time, some of the first category pilgrims will stay in the five-star Al-Jazira Hotel, which has a 2,500-unit capacity, and the Al-Mansi Tower, which has a 4,700-unit capacity.
About medical facilities, the consul general said that an ultrasound machine would be added this year in addition to two mobile X-ray machines and a comprehensive lab for various tests.
“10 million rupees worth of medicines are being brought from India,” he said, adding that aside from the introduction of a medical FIR (first information report) system, all pilgrims above 70 years of age will be offered a medical package.
“All individuals, who need medical attention... will be covered by the package,” Dr. Sayeed said.
The highest number of pilgrims will come from UP (30,065) and the lowest number will come from the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli (27).
