SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: ‘First Hajj-2022 flight’ from J&K after a gap of almost two years will take off from Srinagar International Airport today on June 5, with 145 pilgrims. This year, SpiceJet will operate 37 special flights between India and Saudi Arabia till July 31 for Indian Hajj pilgrims. “The special flights from Srinagar will take-off for Jeddah between June 5 to June 20 while the return flights from Jeddah to Srinagar, are scheduled from July 15 to July 31,” a statement issued by airlines informed.
According to press release issued by Executive Officer, Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee, “Hajj flights from Srinagar Embarkation Point for Hajj 2022 shall operate from June 5, 2022. Reporting time for pilgrims at Hajj House Srinagar for first flight on June 5 will be 5.30 AM while for June 6, 7 and 9, reporting time will be 7 AM and for June 8, reporting time will be 8 AM. The pilgrims are advised to report in time at Haj House, Bemina. It may be noted that only standard baggage without any banned item shall be accepted as check-in luggage by Airlines at Hajj House, Srinagar.”
Jammu Kashmir Hajj Committee is working on a war-footing to finalise all preparations for annual pilgrimage. Director Airport Authority of India, Srinagar Kuldeep Singh informed, “From June 5 to June 9 there will be a single flight daily but on June 10 there will be two flights while from June 11 to June 20, there will be three flights every day.” This year, as per Saudi Government, one million Muslims from across the globe will perform Hajj amid strict adherence to COVID SoPs while from India, 83,000 Muslims and from J&K almost 6,000 Muslims will perform Hajj, including 1850 women.