Majority of the aspirants prefer boarding direct Haj flights from Mumbai EP.
Rafique Aziz
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
If the sources are believed, the Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) Embarkation Point (EP), is missing from the preferential list of the Haj 2024 aspirants. Majority of the applicants preferred boarding direct flights to the pilgrimage from Mumbai EP to evade the financial burden of paying an excess amount of more than Rs 80,000 per pilgrim.
The president of the Khidmat-e-Hujjaj Committee (Aurangabad) Mirza Rafat Baig said, “ The Haj Committee of India (HCI) through our State Haj Committee (SHC) has received a total of 27,283 applications for the Haj 2024. Out of which, 19,624 applicants have been selected (including 5,162 from Marathwada) and 7,656 are in the waiting list.”
Baig added, “ We have forwarded 2,069 applications from Aurangabad district, out of which 1,489 have been selected and 580 are in the waiting list.”
Earlier, the Maharashtra quota was 10,500 Hajis till Haj 2023, but it has increased to 19,624 for Haj 2024. There are three EPs in Maharashtra. They are Mumbai, Aurangabad and Nagpur EPs.
According to sources, “The majority of the Haj 2024 aspirants from the district and neighbouring districts have mentioned Mumbai EP as their first preference and Hyderabad EP as the second preference. Besides, the aspirants from Nanded, Parbhani, and surrounding districts have mentioned Hyderabad EP and Nagpur EP as their first and second preferences. The decision was taken by them to evade the financial burden. Last year, the pilgrims boarding direct flights from Aurangabad EP had to shell out more than Rs 80,000 per pilgrim compared to boarding direct flights from Mumbai EP. Many of them even took legal assistance to change their EP from Aurangabad to Mumbai, but it was in vain. ”
The sources feared that direct flights may not be operated from the Aurangabad EP as the seating capacity of each direct flight is between 180 and 250 seats. Ironically, less than 5 per cent applicants, out of the total aspirants from the district, have chosen the local EP, as they were left with no option due to their valid reasons (on the basis of health ground or age).
It may be noted that 180 Haj pilgrims had filed a petition challenging the excess payment in the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court, in August 2023.
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Pay first instalment by Feb 9
Baig said,“ The aspirants of Haj 2024 have been informed to deposit their first instalment of Rs 81,800 along with a medical fitness certificate (obtained from any government hospital); four colour photos with white background; valid passport and a covid vaccination certificate.”