Middle East crisis impacts Haj 2026 pilgrimage; Pilgrims asked to pay extra airfare of Rs 10,000

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Haj Committee of India has increased the airfare for pilgrims travelling for Haj 2026 due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and has issued a circular to Haj committees in different states and UTs, including the Joint State Haj Committee (JSHC) of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, etc., asking them to inform the pilgrims to deposit an additional Rs 10,000.

The Haj Committee of India informed that the airfare for pilgrims travelling for Haj 2026 has been increased with a one-time revision. Furthermore, the Ministry of Minority Affairs issued an order on April 28 approving the hike.

All pilgrims have been instructed to deposit the additional amount by May 15, 2026. Payments can be made online through the official Haj Committee website or the Haj Suvidha App. Alternatively, the amount can also be deposited offline at branches of the State Bank of India and Union Bank of India using the prescribed payment slip, as the circular states.

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, took to his X handle today to say, “For countless families, Haj is a once-in-a-lifetime dream nurtured over years. I deeply respect that sentiment. Amid a sharp global rise in Aviation Turbine Fuel prices, driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, Airlines sought a steep hike of $300–$400 per pilgrim. We also can’t blame Airlines for the rise in Aviation Turbine Fuel price. Through negotiations, we ensured the increase was restricted to just $100, saving each pilgrim a significant amount. The decision was taken transparently, in good faith, to ensure no disruption in the #Haj2026 operations.”

Reacting to the circular, Chairman of the North East Hajj Pilgrims Reception Committee, Nekibur Zaman, has written to the Haj Committee of India citing certain problems for Haj pilgrims from the Northeast in abiding by the instructions.

Talking to The Sentinel, Nekibur Zaman said, “We’re not opposing the circular, but there are technical difficulties in depositing the additional airfare of Rs 10,000. Pilgrims from the Northeast have already reached Mecca, and since most of them are senior citizens, they lack the technical skills needed to make online payments. So, we have written to the Haj Committee of India, seeking a solution and to ensure that the pilgrims from our region do not face any problems during the pilgrimage.”

It should be mentioned here that the payments made by pilgrims from the NE differ according to the embarkation point. They have already deposited the full amount specified in three installments.

Those embarking at Guwahati paid Rs 3,89,850, those leaving from Kolkata paid Rs 3,68,700, from Mumbai Rs 3,40,250 and pilgrims leaving from Delhi paid Rs 3,73,900. Each pilgrim must also pay an additional amount of Rs 17,280 as ‘Adahi’.

According to officials associated with the Joint State Haj Committee (JSHC) of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, etc., the amount payable by Haj pilgrims is determined by the Haj Committee of India based on multiple factors, and payments are collected from pilgrims in several instalments. The final instalment is calculated based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. As such, the costs of facilities reserved for pilgrims are initially fixed on a provisional basis. Any increase or decrease in the final amount is adjusted after the final accounts are completed. Accordingly, the excess amount is refunded to pilgrims, or any additional amount is collected from them.

This year, a total of 2,415 pilgrims from the Northeast are undertaking Haj. Departures for the pilgrims took place in batches between April 18 and April 21, from the different points of embarkation.

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