Number of Haj applicants decline

LUCKNOW: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has clearly affected the Haj pilgrimage, as there were only 3,200 applicants from Uttar Pradesh to travel in 2021, compared to last year's 29,000. The window for online and offline applications opened on November 7 and the last date for depositing the form is December 10.

Officials have said that the pandemic was one of the main reasons for a lesser number of Haj applications this year. Not even a single woman has applied under the category of 'without mehram' (only women group). Under the category, women can apply in the groups of three. The Haj Committee of India has reserved 500 seats for such women. With nothing final on the number of pilgrims to be allowed by Saudi Arabia, the quota of states has not been decided as yet. No one knows how many pilgrims would be visiting Mecca and Medina from Uttar Pradesh next year.

However, the Secretary State Haj Committee, Rahul Gupta, said: "We want to send the maximum number of pilgrims for Haj but some things are not in our hands. We cannot comment on the quota of Uttar Pradesh because we are still awaiting directives about the numbers." (IANS)

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