Hyderabad: The Telangana Haj Committee has announced that the departure of batches of Haj pilgrims from Telangana for Haj 2023 will begin on June 7. The Hyderabad embarkation point is expected to see around 5,200 pilgrims leave for the Hajj. The announcement was made following a meeting held by the Telangana Haj Committee at Haj House recently.
During the meeting, arrangements for the Hajj camp and the departure and return of the pilgrims were finalized. Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Chairman Haj Committee Mr. Mohammed Saleem, Chairman, Telangana Waqf Board Mr. Masihullah Khan, and Executive Officer Mr. B. Shafiullah informed that the convoys will leave for Jeddah from Hyderabad between June 7 and 22, according to the schedule prepared by the Haj Committee of India. The return of the pilgrims is scheduled to begin on July 13, with the last convoy reaching Hyderabad on August 2.
Mr. Mohammed Saleem further informed that Vistara Airlines will be providing the services for Telangana pilgrims, and that 5,000 passports are being sent to the Haj Committee of India. He added that the government and its departments are providing full cooperation regarding the arrangements of the Hajj camp. The police, fire service, water works, medical and health, electricity, and GHMC will all be providing their services at the camp.
Under the new rules, pilgrims will have to obtain a fitness certificate after an inspection in government hospitals, and the schedule of vaccination will be announced soon. The tent of the Hajj camp will be fully air-conditioned, and pilgrims will leave for the airport by air-conditioned buses. A separate terminal will be provided for the pilgrims at the airport, where immigration and other essential procedures will be carried out.
According to Mohammad Saleem, the pilgrims will be sent to the airport from Hajj House four hours in advance. He also stated that there is no shortage of budget for Hajj arrangements and the government will release the necessary funds.
Pilgrims hailing from parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra will leave from Hyderabad, and the number of pilgrims from the Telangana Haj Committee is expected to be around 6,000. Additionally, 7,000 to 8,000 pilgrims are expected to leave from the Hyderabad Embarkation Point. On May 23, a coordination meeting of all departments has been convened at Haj House for Haj arrangements.
This year, the provision of 2100 riyals has been stopped to the pilgrims, so they will have to deposit the amount as expenses and purchase Saudi Riyals on their own. This year, 500 pilgrims will stay in Nizam Rubat, and the number is expected to increase.
From Telangana, 15 Khadim-ul-Hujjaj have been selected, and five have been placed on the waiting list. Khadim al-Hujjaj will be interviewed to assess their experience and abilities. The meeting was attended by Syed Nizamuddin Jafar Khan, Muhammad Sheikh Hameed, Syed Irfanul Haq, Naseeruddin, Mir Nadir Ali Rizvi, Asma Sultana, and Assistant Executive Officer Irfan Sharif.
