First batch of Haj pilgrims to leave Guwahati from May 9-25

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Joint State Haj Committee (JSHC) announced the proposed tentative dates for the departure of Haj pilgrims from Assam and the northeastern states, barring Manipur and Tripura. The committee said that the flights for the first batch of pilgrims will leave Guwahati for Madinah from May 9 to May 25, and the flights for the second batch will leave Guwahati from June 22 to July 21, 2024.

The committee requested that the pilgrims deposit their second installments of Rs 1.70 lakh per pilgrim between February 24 and March 10, 2024. The JSHC stated that the estimated expenditure to be incurred by each pilgrim to the Haj would be Rs 3,71,800. The first installment of Rs. 81,800 was deposited by each of the pilgrims.

A total of 3,905 Muslims applied to the Joint State Haj Committee (JSHC) to participate in this year’s Haj pilgrimage, which is mandatory for every able Muslim.

In 2023, a total of 6002 pilgrims went on the Haj pilgrimage under the aegis of the Joint State Haj Committee, which was the highest number of all time as restrictions imposed in 2022 were lifted.

It should be mentioned here that the restrictions in 2022 led to fewer people, while not a single pilgrim was able to undertake the holy pilgrimage due to the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

3,544 pilgrims were bound for Mecca in 2022, as some restrictions were in place, mainly related to the age of the pilgrim.

As conveyed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, and as per the Annual Bilateral Haj Agreement for Haj 2024 between India and Saudi Arabia, a quota of 1,40,020 seats for the Haj Committee of India has been allocated. The quota for the Joint State Haj Committee is 8840, whereas only 3,905 applications have been received within the extended deadline for online applications of January 15, 2024.

Of the 3,905 applicants, 104 are aged above 70 years, whereas 29 are ladies without Mehram (escort).

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