KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir government Sunday said that the first Hajj flight carrying 350 pilgrims will leave from Srinagar Airport to Madina Munawarah, Saudi Arabia at 8 am on Monday.
“First Hajj flight carrying 350 pilgrims will leave from Srinagar Airport to Madina Munawarah at 8 am Monday which will be followed by another flight on the same day. All arrangements for foreign exchange, security clearance and other formalities will be completed at the Hajj House from where the pilgrims will board the buses for the Srinagar International Airport,” Rehman Veeri told KNS over phone.
He said all arrangements have been made by the state government. “We have taken up the matter of accommodating all JK Hajjis at a single place with the Chairperson of Hajj committee of India. I hope that pilgrims will get cluster accommodation on reaching Saudi Arabia.”
He said the government has also booked hotels in Srinagar for the accommodation of pilgrims belonging to other districts and it has directed the JKTDC to reserve the accommodation in its hotels, Veeri said and added that he will be in close touch with the authorities in Saudi Arabia during the whole Hajj period.
He further added that there would be two flights for the Hajj pilgrims from 17 to 21 August while Air India will operate one Hajj flight daily from Srinagar to Madina Munawarah from 21 to 31.
He said that elaborate arrangements of security and convenience for the pilgrims have been made by the state government which is overseen by senior civil and police officers. “I wish the pilgrims well and asked them to pray for peace and prosperity”.
The Minister also said that arrangements have also been made for ablutions and wearing of the Ahram. “Besides special arrangements for the Ahram, the police and home guard volunteers are deployed in sufficient numbers to load and unload the baggage carried by the pilgrims,” Veeri added.
It is to mention here that this year as many as 6684 Muslims from Jammu and Kashmir are performing the annual holy Hajj using official channels while private travel operators are also facilitating the pilgrims.
