Special flights for Haj pilgrims

Ranchi: The rigour of Haj pilgrims of the state could lessen from this year as the civil aviation ministry is mulling special connecting flights for them from here.
A special team of senior officials from the civil aviation ministry is scheduled to be here next week to explore the possibilities of the special flight. The fate of the noble plan hinges on the report of this team.
Presently, the Haj pilgrims of the state have to go all the way to Patna, Calcutta, Delhi or other major metropolitan cities in the country for travelling to Mecca.
But if the aviation ministry team is satisfied with the facilities here, the pious people would not have to take the road or rail route to Delhi or Calcutta to board the flights.
If the plan materialises, the pilgrims would first be flown to the towns from where the Haj planes take off by the special flights and then they would shift to a bigger aircraft, which would take them to Mecca.
The officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Birsa Munda airport have been asked to look into the possibilities of starting the special flights.
They are toying with the idea of setting up a separate temporary terminal building, which will have all the facilities for the pilgrims.
14/09/08 The Telegraph

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2008, NACIL Sep 2008