Haj 2018 News Updates
More than half a million reach Saudi Arabia so far for Hajj
The number of pilgrims coming from outside Saudi Arabia, since July 14, has now reached 567,459 so far. It is an increase of about 7 per cent over their number the same period last year.
The General Directorate of Passports in Saudi Arabia said in a report that the number of pilgrims coming by air has reached 558,505, by land 4,696, and by sea 4,258 pilgrims. The Makkah Development Authority has distributed more than 2 million awareness leaflets in nine languages on how to use the Mashaer Train and how to reach the Jamarat area easily.
The company operating the Haramain Express Train announced that it has stopped the free test runs and will officially launch the commercial service in September. It said the train will transport pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah and back via Jeddah.
Saudi’s Hackathon aimed to boost Hajj Services
Thousands of software developers from around the world have gathered in Saudi Arabia for the Middle East’s largest ‘Hackathon’, aimed at using technology to enhance the Haj pilgrimage experience.
The three-day Haj Hackathon was launched on Tuesday in the western Saudi city of Jeddah with the participation of developers from 51 countries, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.
The hackathon is organised by the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), an initiative that seeks to fulfil the objectives of the kingdom’s “Vision 2030” national economic development and diversification strategy unveiled in 2016.
SAFCSP Chairman and advisor at the royal court, Saud bin Abdullah Al Qahtani, told the opening ceremony that Saudi Arabia strongly supports high-tech innovations. “The kingdom’s hosting of the largest hackathon in the Middle East, through the Haj Hackathon competition, aims at developing technical solutions that contribute to enriching and enhancing the Haj experience,” reported The Gulf News. “The hoped-for outcomes of the Haj Hackathon will reflect positively on improving and developing services provided for pilgrims,” he said.”
SAFCSP is offering cash prizes to the top ranking participants in the Haj Hackathon, totalling 2,000,000 Saudi riyals to transform their ideas into application-based solutions. The top winner will receive 1,000,000 riyals; the second 500,000 and the third 350,000. In addition,150,000 riyals will be offered as a prize for excellence. Categories of the competition are related to the Haj, featuring food health, finance, transport, travel, accommodation, communications and crowd management.
First batches leave from India for the Holy Journey
The first batch of Haj pilgrims was flagged off on Saturday by Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who said the preparations for ensuring a smooth pilgrimage have been completed. The first batch of 410 Haj pilgrims from Delhi left for Madina from the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday morning.
Hyderabad
The first group of Haj pilgrims consisting of 303 persons was flagged off at 3:30 a.m at Haj House by Dy. CM of Telangana State, Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali. He also bid farewell to them at 7:30 a.m. at the Hyderabad International Airport. Prof. S.A. Shukoor, Executive Officer of Telangana Haj Committee is monitoring the arrangements. DCP of Central Zone deployed cops at Haj House. Mr. Masihullah Khan, Chairman of Haj Committee and Mohammed Saleem, Chairman of Wakf Board visited Haj House and expressed their satisfaction over the arrangements.
Kerala
The first Haj flight of the year took off on Wednesday at 5.15 a.m. from Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL). It was flagged off by Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage Minister K.T. Jaleel. Haj Committee chairman Thodiyoor Muhammed Kunju Moulavi, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, Anwar Sadat, MLA, and Malappuram District Collector Amit Meena were among those present.
A total of 1,28,702 pilgrims will be facilitated by the government across India through the Haj Committee this year. Over 1,200 Haj pilgrims are leaving Delhi for Saudi Arabia in three flights on Saturday.
Besides Delhi, 450 pilgrims from Gaya, 269 from Guwahati, 900 from Lucknow and 1,020 pilgrims from Srinagar are also leaving for Saudi Arabia on Saturday for Haj.
Naqvi said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in cooperation with the Saudi Arabia Haj Consulate, Haj Committee of India and other concerned agencies, had completed preparations for Haj 2018 well before time to ensure a smooth pilgrimage. Noting that Haj 2018 is being organised according to the new Haj Policy, the minister said it had made the entire Haj process transparent and ensured better facilities for the pilgrims.
Naqvi said despite the removal of the Haj subsidy and various new taxes imposed in Saudi Arabia, there was no additional financial burden on the pilgrims. He also said that Rs 57 crore less will be paid to airlines this year as compared to 2017 for Haj pilgrims travelling through the Haj Committee of India. Naqvi said that it was the first time after Independence, that 1,75,025 Muslims from India were going for Haj this year. He said more than 47 per cent females are going for Haj this year and for the first time 1,308 Muslim women, travelling without ‘Mehram’ or male companion, were among them.
Delhi Revenue and Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot, Haj Committee of India Chairman Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser, Delhi Haj Committee Chairman and MLA Mohammad Ishraq Khan and Minority Affairs Ministry Secretary Ameizing Luikham, were also present at the airport.
On July 17 pilgrims from Kolkata, on July 20 pilgrims from Varanasi, on July 21 pilgrims from Mangalore, on July 26 pilgrims from Goa and on July 29 pilgrims from Aurangabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Nagpur, will embark for Haj.
On July 30, pilgrims from Ranchi, on August 1 pilgrims from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad and Jaipur, and on August 3, pilgrims from Bhopal, will embark for Haj.
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