- Flight operations to continue till June 16
- Nearly 4,000 Hajis from J&K, Ladakh to arrive via Srinagar
Srinagar: The return phase of Hajj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir will begin on Tuesday, with the first flight carrying 144 pilgrims scheduled to land at Srinagar International Airport, officials said.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee, the arrival operations for pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will continue till June 16. This year, a total of 4,641 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir performed Hajj, including 2,583 men and 2,058 women.
Chief Executive Officer of the J&K Hajj Committee, Dr Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, said that 3,952 pilgrims, including 21 women who undertook the pilgrimage without a Mehram, will return through the Srinagar embarkation point.
Of these, 3,631 pilgrims belong to Jammu and Kashmir, while 321 are from Ladakh. One pilgrim from Punjab is also scheduled to arrive through Srinagar.
The first flight, expected to arrive on June 2, will bring back 144 pilgrims, including 74 men and 70 women.
Officials said 1,061 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir will return through other embarkation points across the country, including 1,010 via Delhi, 49 through Mumbai, and two through Bengaluru.
The Hajj Committee has made arrangements at Srinagar Airport for the reception of the returning pilgrims. Transport facilities, medical assistance, help desks and distribution of Zamzam water have been put in place to facilitate their arrival.
The return operations come amid concerns over baggage handling and transportation due to operational restrictions at Srinagar Airport linked to ongoing runway maintenance works and temporary limitations under the existing NOTAM. Authorities, however, said necessary measures have been taken to ensure the smooth arrival of the pilgrims.
