<p>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged the Centre to re-designate Chennai as an embarkation point for Haj 2022 to prevent pilgrims from the state travelling 700 kilometres to catch a flight. </p>.<p>In a letter to Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Stalin said direct Haj flights were operated from Chennai to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and back from 1987 to 2020. However, Chennai was not included in the embarkation points in 2021 following the Centre’s decision to reduce the number from 21 to 10. </p>.<p>The decision has forced pilgrims from Tamil Nadu to travel 700 km to Kochi to catch the flight, Stalin said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/naqvi-calls-for-precaution-prevention-and-prayer-to-make-haj-2022-possible-1069190.html" target="_blank">Naqvi calls for precaution, prevention and prayer to make Haj 2022 possible</a></strong></p>.<p>He also told Naqvi that over 4,500 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands proceeded on Haj pilgrimage from Chennai embarkation point in 2019. </p>.<p>The 700-km travel incurs additional costs, Stalin said, and asked the Centre to increase the number of embarkation points as Saudi Arabia has relaxed all Covid related restrictions for international pilgrims. “I, therefore, request you to consider the convenience of the Haj pilgrims from Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states and to take urgent action to re-designate Chennai as an Embarkation Point for Haj 2022,” Stalin said. </p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged the Centre to re-designate Chennai as an embarkation point for Haj 2022 to prevent pilgrims from the state travelling 700 kilometres to catch a flight. </p>.<p>In a letter to Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Stalin said direct Haj flights were operated from Chennai to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and back from 1987 to 2020. However, Chennai was not included in the embarkation points in 2021 following the Centre’s decision to reduce the number from 21 to 10. </p>.<p>The decision has forced pilgrims from Tamil Nadu to travel 700 km to Kochi to catch the flight, Stalin said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/naqvi-calls-for-precaution-prevention-and-prayer-to-make-haj-2022-possible-1069190.html" target="_blank">Naqvi calls for precaution, prevention and prayer to make Haj 2022 possible</a></strong></p>.<p>He also told Naqvi that over 4,500 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands proceeded on Haj pilgrimage from Chennai embarkation point in 2019. </p>.<p>The 700-km travel incurs additional costs, Stalin said, and asked the Centre to increase the number of embarkation points as Saudi Arabia has relaxed all Covid related restrictions for international pilgrims. “I, therefore, request you to consider the convenience of the Haj pilgrims from Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states and to take urgent action to re-designate Chennai as an Embarkation Point for Haj 2022,” Stalin said. </p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
