New Delhi

Some 3,000 Indian women, who had applied for undertaking the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia without being accompanied by a male member of their family, will not be subjected to a lottery system of random picking of the pilgrims to the Muslims’ most holy site.

These women had applied for the pilgrimage in 2019 and since the Haj remained closed for the overseas pilgrims, their applications are still valid for the proposed 2022 pilgrimage. It will be for the first time that Indian Muslim women will be undertaking the pilgrimage with a Mehram, a male guardian, in case Haj 2022 happens.

This information was shared in the meeting of the Haj committee chaired by the minister for minority affairs Mukthar Abbas Naqvi on Friday.

After the meeting, Naqvi also released the guidelines for those wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage in light of the Covid-19 pandemic-induced restrictions imposed on overseas travel by the host country.

The pilgrims will be required to have taken both the mandatory doses of Covid-19 vaccination besides the usual vaccinations and inoculations for undertaking the pilgrimage. The travel guidelines are in line with the updated criterion set by Saudi Arabia for overseas pilgrims.

Besides these 3,000 women, more are expected to apply as and when the fresh applications are accepted.

Naqvi said the official announcement of Haj 2022 would be made in the first week of November and only after that the process of online applications for Haj will begin.

Naqvi said that the facility of digital health cards, e-Masiha, and e-luggage pre-tagging will be available to all Indian pilgrims. Apart from this, the government will arrange for all the facilities for lodging and transportation in Mecca and Medina.

The Indians have not been able to perform the pilgrimage for two years due to restrictions imposed by the Saudi government due to the Pandemic.

For next year, preparations have begun at an optimistic note since the Covid-19 pandemic is under control. These guidelines have been laid out keeping in mind the policies of India and Saudi Arabia in the post-Covid phase. The entire process of selection of the pilgrims in India will be digital.

Naqvi said that India is the second country after Indonesia, from where most people go to Saudi Arabia Haj pilgrimage.

Naqvi said that the Covid protocol and special arrangements for health and hygiene will be made for Haj pilgrims in India and Saudi Arabia. All the national and international protocols will be incorporated in the practices given the Pandemic.

Naqvi said all care will be taken to safeguard the health of the pilgrims as well and not let Covid spread due to the pilgrims either in Saudi or back home He informed that the Haj 2022 process will be finalised after consultations among the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Haj Committee of India, Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia and Consul General of India in Jeddah and representatives of other agencies.

Haj pilgrims will have to comply with the Saudi Arabian government's specific norms, rules, eligibility criteria, age restrictions, health and fitness requirements.

These include accommodation, length of stay of the pilgrims, transport, health, and other facilities in both India and Saudi Arabia.

The Haj review meeting was attended by Renuka Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Ausaf Saeed, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Nigar Fatima, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Yakhadi Vipul, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SK Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, among senior officials. participated.

 Apart from this, PK Sen, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Yacoub Sheikh, CEO of Haj Committee of India, Shahid Alam, Consul General of India in Jeddah and Air India Executive Director Melvin D'Silva, etc. were also present.

Haj review meeting discussed the expected Haj quota for 2022, Haj air charter, corona protocol, vaccination, medical facility, health card, transportation to Saudi Arabia, Haj deputation of officials, Khadim ul Hujjaj, Haj training, embarkation point, and other topics done.