Haj asks airlines to allow extra baggage for Haj pilgrims

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) The Haj Air Charter Committee has asked the Indian Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines to deploy new good quality aircraft to cater to the needs of 1.57 lakh Haj pilgrims embarking from 16 states of India.

Former Union Minister and Haj Air Charter Committee Chairman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in a statment, said the two national airlines had made all arrangements to carry Indian Hajis to Jedha and Madina.

The national and state Haj Committees were also making elaborate arrangements.

The airlines have accepted to allow the Hajis to carry maximum checked baggage of 45 kg and 10 kg of hand bagage besides 10 litres of 'Zam Zam' water, he said.

He said about 1.1 lakh Hajis will go on pilgrimage through Haj Committee of India while another 47,000 would visit through private tour operators.

Uttar Pradesh will have maximum number of 35,000 Hajis, followed by Maharashtra (13,000), Kerala (8,000), Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh (7000 each), Karnataka (6,500), West Bengal (6,000) and Madhya Pradesh (4000), Tamil Nadu (3,500).

UNI