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Haj camp ends ahead of schedule

Abdul Latheef Naha

Air-India operates 28 flights to carry 11,502 pilgrims to Medina

MALAPPURAM: The Haj camp set up near Calicut Airport at Karipur closed three days ahead of schedule when the last batch of pilgrims from the State under the Central Haj Committee left for Medina on Thursday. The camp, which started on December 3, was scheduled to conclude on Christmas day.

Haj committee officials said that Air-India operated 28 all-economy flights to carry 11,502 pilgrims to Medina. As many as 226 of the Hajis were from Lakshadweep and two from Mahe. Women outnumbered men.

C.P. Kunhi Mohammed, member of Central Haj Committee and general convener of the camp, said that all pilgrims could be sent three days ahead of schedule because of two additional flights operated by Air-India following the efforts of Union Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed.

The pilgrims from Kerala flew to Medina, instead of Jeddah, this year. Therefore, all the pilgrims left in their normal clothes without entering Iharam from here. Iharam is the ritual of donning white robes by which a person officially begins the Haj ceremony. However, their return journey will be from Jeddah.

The first Haj flight had taken off from Karipur on December 3 with 293 pilgrims. Air-India used Boeing Jumbo 747-400, Jumbo Combi and Airbus-310 to ferry the pilgrims. On most days, the airline operated Jumbo 747-400 with 490-passenger capacity. Air-India's Combi, a sub-variant of Jumbo meant for passenger and freight, had 293-passenger capacity Airbus-310 had 201-passenger capacity.

Air-India also operated another 21chartered flights to carry about 4,400 pilgrims going to Mecca in private groups. These flights were operated between December 3 and December 13. Special arrangements were made at the airport for the Haj operations. The ground floor of the terminal building was devoted exclusively for the Haj movement. Till Sunday, the airport had closed its viewer gallery for visitors.

The Central Government has provided alternative arrangement at Azizia, about five km away from Mecca, to house 15,000 Indian Hajis who could not be lodged near Haram Shareef. "We could lodge all but 15,000 Hajis near Haram because the Saudi Government had demolished several buildings in Mecca in order to provide better facilities," said the Union Minister.

The number of pilgrims who go to Mecca under the Central Haj Committee increased to one lakh this year. Last year, it was 82,000.

At present, India sends the largest contingent of pilgrims to Mecca after Indonesia.

Apart from the one lakh pilgrims under the Haj Committee, about 47,000 Hajis are going to Mecca privately. This number is in addition to the 20,000-odd NRIs who make it to Mecca during the Haj. Last year, each pilgrim had been allotted a space of three sq. m. for accommodation in Mecca. This year, the Saudi Government raised this space limit to 3.5 sq. m.

Besides, the rent for accommodation too was raised in accordance with the apartments' proximity to Haram Shareef.

The Indian pilgrims who stay in Azizia will be provided free transport to Haram Shareef, said Mr. Ahamed.

The Government has sent 143 doctors and 140-odd paramedical personnel to Mecca, said Mr. Ahamed.

The Indian medical camp set up in Mecca this time is the best, biggest and closest ever to Ka'ba. "This is the first time we could set up a medical facility so close to Haram Shareef," he said.

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