Varanasi, new destination for Haj pilgrimage flights

Lucknow, Sep 9 (UNI) Varanasi has been chosen as the new destination in Uttar Pradesh for boarding the flights for Haj pligrimage from this year.

About 30,000 pilgrims from UP have been selected through lottery for Haj this year from New Delhi, Lucknow and Varanasi starting from November 11.

Newly-elected UP Haj committee Chairman and state PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddique told mediapersons here today that from the Varanasi Airport, 2,729 Haj pilgrims of Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Ballia, Sant Ravidasnagar, Chandauli, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Mau, Mirzapur, Sonebhadra and Varanasi would board the flight to Jeddah.

Similarly, 8,947 from Lucknow and 18,414 pilgrims from New Delhi would avail their flights, respectively.

He said for the first time, the Haj pilgrims would be properly trained by experts, while vaccinations have been made available to them at the tehsil level.

The UP Haj Committee has also ensured that the people who would not be selected for the Haj get their refund of Rs 10,700 at their residences, he informed.

Lauding efforts of the Mayawati government to enhance the number of Haj pilgrims in UP, the Minister maintained that earlier the Haj Committee had only allotted 23,913 pilgrims, but due to the pressure from the state government, it was increased to 29,989 -- the highest in the country.

Mr Siddique said all arrangements had been made in the Haj House in the state capital to take care of pilgrims.

UNI