Mumbai: Haj pilgrims travelling from Mumbai is expected to double from 6,297 in 2017 to 12,018, with the government allowing pilgrims to choose the point of embarkation for the first time.
Other embarkation points in the State, such as Aurangabad, could see only 350 pilgrims using it to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, mostly due to the higher airfare: a round-trip ticket from Mumbai is expected to cost Rs. 59,200, while it could cost Rs. 81,929 from Aurangabad. Last year, 2,734 pilgrims travelled from Aurangabad.
This year, 1,28,002 Haj pilgrims are expected to spend Rs. 57 crore less on airfare than last year, which saw 1,24,852 pilgrims spend Rs. 1,030 crore on air travel to Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government’s commitment to transparency and strict directives to airlines to check unreasonable increase in fares has ensured that airfares come down significantly this year.
Mr. Naqvi said Saudi Arabia had approved India’s decision to revive the option of Haj pilgrims travelling by sea, and discussions are on to work out formalities and technicalities.
The Central government had withdrawn subsidy for the Haj in January based on a Supreme Court order in 2012. Around Rs. 450 crore was spent on Haj subsidy in 2017, of which Rs. 200 crore went into subsidising airfare. Post-subsidy, the net amount paid to airlines in 2017 was close to Rs. 830 crore.
Dr Masood Khan, CEO, Haj Committee of India, said the option to choose the point of embarkation has been crucial in reducing money spent on air travel. “This year, many are traveling to major cities to board flights, as the airfare is much cheaper from metro cities.”
23/04/18 The Hindu
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Other embarkation points in the State, such as Aurangabad, could see only 350 pilgrims using it to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, mostly due to the higher airfare: a round-trip ticket from Mumbai is expected to cost Rs. 59,200, while it could cost Rs. 81,929 from Aurangabad. Last year, 2,734 pilgrims travelled from Aurangabad.
This year, 1,28,002 Haj pilgrims are expected to spend Rs. 57 crore less on airfare than last year, which saw 1,24,852 pilgrims spend Rs. 1,030 crore on air travel to Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government’s commitment to transparency and strict directives to airlines to check unreasonable increase in fares has ensured that airfares come down significantly this year.
Mr. Naqvi said Saudi Arabia had approved India’s decision to revive the option of Haj pilgrims travelling by sea, and discussions are on to work out formalities and technicalities.
The Central government had withdrawn subsidy for the Haj in January based on a Supreme Court order in 2012. Around Rs. 450 crore was spent on Haj subsidy in 2017, of which Rs. 200 crore went into subsidising airfare. Post-subsidy, the net amount paid to airlines in 2017 was close to Rs. 830 crore.
Dr Masood Khan, CEO, Haj Committee of India, said the option to choose the point of embarkation has been crucial in reducing money spent on air travel. “This year, many are traveling to major cities to board flights, as the airfare is much cheaper from metro cities.”
23/04/18 The Hindu
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