HYDERABAD

The last batch of Haj pilgrims left Hyderabad on Thursday after boarding the last of 23 flights to Saudi Arabia. Around 10,000 pilgrims from Telangana and 14 other States passed through the Hyderabad embarkation point over the course of the season.

Telangana State Haj Committee Chairman Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani described the camp as a success, and maintained that all processes had gone smoothly. This included the distribution of Haj kits to food arrangements and other logistical arrangements. He said that a dedicated control room was set up to monitor the movement of pilgrims and Haj inspectors, each of whom is responsible for the welfare of around 150 pilgrims under their charge.

“The last of the 23 flights left today. Everything went smoothly. We managed to tackle issues without much problems,” Mr Biyabani said.

He said a day before the final departure, a pilgrim was reported as missing by his family members. “However, the pilgrim was located within three to four hours through WhatsApp groups set up specifically for coordination. In three separate incidents, pilgrims had misplaced their passports; in each case, the Regional Passport Office stepped in promptly and reissued the documents in time for travel,” Mr. Biyabani said.

Hyderabad embarkation point facilitated the travel of pilgrims not just from Telangana but also from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and several other states. As many as 6,646 pilgrims from Telangana, 1,200 from Andhra Pradesh, 1,082 pilgrims from Karnataka and 560 pilgrims from Maharashtra went through the Hyderabad embarkaton point. All 23 flights were operated by Flynas

The TSHC received as many as 11,757 applications from the State. As many as 67 female pilgrims were scheduled to make the pilgrimage without a mehram, a male companion. The largest number of 3,976 pilgrims were from Hyderabad district.