Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, April 17 

The annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on Saturday, with the first batches of pilgrims from India and Pakistan departing on special flights to Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah.

More than 4700 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh, are scheduled to travel this season, with departures starting on Saturday, officials said.

India is set to send over 175,000 pilgrims in total, supported by logistical arrangements aimed at ensuring a smooth journey.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have tightened entry regulations ahead of the pilgrimage, restricting access to Mecca to authorised pilgrims and permit holders from mid-April.

Officials said expatriates and residents without valid Hajj permits would be barred from entering the city, while holders of Umrah visas have been required to leave the kingdom by April 18.

The issuance of Umrah permits has also been suspended until the end of May as part of measures to manage the annual influx of pilgrims.

India’s Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju extended his wishes to pilgrims and said the government had deployed administrative, medical and support staff in Saudi Arabia to assist travellers.

More than 200 administrative personnel and around 350 medical staff are being deployed to support Indian pilgrims during the pilgrimage, he said.

Officials said that a new shorter Hajj package of around three to four weeks has been introduced this year, with more than 10,000 pilgrims opting for it.

Flights connecting India and Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage are being operated by multiple carriers, including Air India Express and Saudi-based airlines.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, is expected to send the largest number of pilgrims globally this year, with a quota exceeding 220,000, according to officials.