NEW DELHI: In a special initiative, Indian Hajj pilgrims have been facilitated to commute from Jeddah airport to Makkah in a high speed train- for the same fare that they used to pay for buses commuting on the same sector.
"The Consulate General of India in Jeddah in association with Saudi Arabian authorities facilitated Hajj pilgrims to ride High Speed Harmain Train from Jeddah airport to Makkah. Nearly 32000 pilgrims are expected to take this service which has reduced the travel time to half,’’ Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan,
India’s Ambassador to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia told this newspaper. Dr Khan accompanied the pilgrims on their maiden train journey along with Vice President of Saudi Arabian Railways Eng Al Harbi.
The fare for the train from Jeddah airport to Makkah is 125 Saudi Arabian Riyal (which is around Rs 2800) which is the same as the earlier bus fare. The high speed train runs at a speed of 300 km per hour.
Around 1,40,000 Indians have gone for the annual Hajj pilgrimage through the Haj Committee route, while 35000 have gone via private tour operators. The total number is 1,75,000.
"This is not only a first for Indian pilgrims but also an inaugural experience for Saudi authorities in transports Hajjis by train directly from Jeddah airport to Makkah. This speaks volumes of the strong India-Saudi Arabian relations,’’ added Ambassador Khan.