JOIN USMinister for Hajj B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan will inaugurate the flight carrying the first batch of pilgrims from Mangaluru Hajj camp to Mecca on the Ansar school campus on July 17.
Nearly 750 pilgrims from Mangaluru will be present at the Mangaluru Hajj camp, which is celebrating its decennial year.
Camp secretary B M Mumthaz Ali recollected that earlier, in order to reach Mecca, pilgrims had to travel to Bengaluru, change flights and reach Jeddah airport after two days. Now, thanks to previous governments, pilgrims reach Jeddah airport within six hours.
The 750 pilgrims from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Hassan districts will receive food, lodging, luggage check-in facility, passport and tickets at the camp located at Ansar school in Bajpe.
The first batch of pilgrims from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts will depart in flights scheduled on July 17 and 18. Pilgrims from Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Hassan districts will depart on July 19.
The pilgrims, after visiting Mecca, will return from August 31.
Haj Bhavan in 2020
Mumthaz Ali clarified that the Haj Bhavan could not be completed as a litigation were filed on the land identified in Kenjar. Land near the Malavoor bridge was also rejected due to CRZ issues.
“Now we have identified 70 cents of land in Adyar and hope to begin the work on the Bhavan by 2020,” he stressed.
India’s Hajj quota enhanced
Mangaluru Hajj Camp Organising Committee secretary B M Mumthaz Ali said that nearly 1.7 lakh pilgrims had participated in the annual Hajj to Mecca.
“This year, the quota of Hajj pilgrims was increased to two lakh. Nearly 8,000 pilgrims are participating in the Hajj pilgrimage through the Karnataka State Hajj Committee. Ever since Mangaluru was recognised as a Hajj centre for pilgrims in October 2009, nearly 6,000 pilgrims from these parts had realised their dream of visiting Mecca,” he stated.