RIYADH: India has been granted a quota increase of 14,000 pilgrims after the Saudi government recently approved a second raise of 10,000 pilgrims for the Haj 2008.
“This is a generous gesture on the part of the Kingdom following a request by the Indian government,” Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farook told Arab News.
Last year, 157,000 Indians came for Haj. The Saudi government later approved an increase of 4,000 pilgrims. The new quota for India is 171,000.
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his deputy E. Ahamed visited Saudi Arabia last month to press for an increase in India’s pilgrim quota. Mukherjee and Ahamed tried to impress upon the Saudi authorities the fact that every year the Indian government receives more than 200,000 applications and at least a good part of this number should be allowed in.
Last year, 110,000 pilgrims came through the Haj Committee and 47,000 through private travel arrangements through licensed Haj tour operators.
The pilgrimage is likely to cost more with accommodation charges in the holy cities being increased. According to sources, Indian pilgrims who travel through government agencies may have to shell out substantially more to stay in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque in Makkah. The price of accommodation for pilgrims in category one, who will be housed within one kilometer of the Holy Mosque, has been increased from SR2,700 to SR3,000.
The rate has also been increased in the next category, who will stay within 1.6km of the Holy Mosque, from SR1,600 to SR2,000. Similarly, accommodation in the outer periphery of the holy city will now cost SR1,500 instead of SR1,050 in previous years.
