NEW DELHI: With the first flight-ready to take off from Delhi to Saudi Arabia on June 5, Muslims from Delhi are all set to travel for Haj pilgrimage after a Covid-engineered hiatus of two years. However, the number of pilgrims will still be low as only 900 people are allowed to go on pilgrimage because of still prevailing Covid guidelines.
While the first flight will leave from Delhi on June 5, the last one will be on June 16. Meanwhile, the first flight with Haj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia will return to Delhi Airport on July 14 and the last one on July 27. Saudi Airlines will operate the Haj flights from Terminal 3 at Delhi International Airport with Boeing 777-300 aircraft, having over 400 seats. It was in 2019 when the Terminal 3 instead of Terminal 2 had hosted the Haj pilgrims for the first time.
Speaking to The Morning Standard, a spokesperson of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said, “A separate dedicated area has been earmarked for the Haj pilgrims inside the Terminal check-in area after the entry gate no 8. Also two dedicated X-Ray (XBIS) machines and seven dedicated check-in counters have been assigned for the Haj pilgrims. There will be adequate seating arrangements for the pilgrims and the immigrations will clear the Haj pilgrims on priority basis.
“Two dedicated X-Ray (XBIS) machines will be available at the Pre-Embarkation Security Check (PESC) area to clear the Haj pilgrims only. Dedicated corridor has been created for movement of the Haj pilgrims post-PESC area till retails area. The Delhi Airport and operational airlines would be providing additional manpower to assist and guide passengers inside the Terminal building and buggies will be provided to pilgrims with special needs (senior citizens, passengers with restricted mobility, etc),” added the spokesperson.
Overall, 79,237 pilgrims will go for the Haj 2022. It includes about 50 per cent women. Out of these, 56,601 pilgrims will go for Haj 2022 through Haj Committee of India and 22,636 pilgrims will go through Haj Group Organisers (HGOs). The entire process of HGOs has also been made transparent and online. More than 1,800 Muslim women will go for the Haj 2022 without “Mehram” (male companion), these women will go to the Haj without lottery system. A total of 83,140 applications had been received for the Haj 2022.
The Indian government has chalked out necessary guidelines with the Saudi Arabian government. This year, a total of 357 Haj Coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants, Doctors, and Paramedics will be deployed in Saudi Arabia to assist the Indian Haj pilgrims. They will be deployed in Makkah (head office and branches, dispensaries, and hospitals in NCNT Zone and Azizia), Madina (office and branches, dispensaries and hospitals, and Madina Airport), and Jeddah Airport. In order to ensure a smooth Haj, Union Minority Affairs Ministry organised a training camp for a team of personnel to be deployed to assist pilgrims.
DIAL comes up with guidelines for pilgrims
For entry
Pilgrims can enter T- 3 from Entry gate No 8 only
A demarcated area at T-3 Departure for bidding farewell to the pilgrims.
Airport staff, Customer Service Executives, Delhi Police and Traffic Police, Delhi Civil Defence staff, and volunteers from Haj committee to assist the pilgrims.
All follow Covid-19 protocols including wearing of face masks.
Relatives and friends to maintain distance and leave the airport as soon as pilgrims enter the terminal building
At the Boarding Gate
Boarding bus gate (No 4) allocated for Haj flights
Special arrangements made for distribution of currency at the boarding gate.
Four currency exchange counters set up
Separate areas for Wuzu/ablution, separate prayer areas for male and female pilgrims
Food counters set up