GUWAHATI: Haj pilgrims from Assam, particularly the aged and first-time travellers, are in a spot as direct flights from Guwahati to Jeddah have been ‘scrapped’.
Guwahati was the embarkation level for about 6,000 passengers however now the Haj pilgrims from Assam have been requested to board the flight both from Delhi or Mumbai.
Nekibur Zaman, chairman of the Joint State Haj Committee that appears after Assam and 4 different NE states, mentioned the Haj pilgrims from Assam and neighbouring states have been knowledgeable that they will not get direct chartered flight from Guwahati because the airways firm that gained the bidding has gone bankrupt and stopped operations. “The Central Haj Committee should make alternate arrangements from Guwahati. Now, the Haj pilgrims from Assam and the northeast are being asked to go as normal passengers in international flights from Delhi and Mumbai,” Zaman instructed TOI right here on Saturday.
He mentioned boarding flights in Delhi or Mumbai will create hurdles, particularly for the first-time travellers and the aged. “The payments for the chartered flights have already been made and many pilgrims will now demand refund,” Zaman added.
The Union ministry of civil aviation, in March, invited tenders from designated airways of India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for endeavor Haj constitution flights from 22 stations in India, together with Guwahati, to Jeddah/Madinah and again to respective stations, throughout the interval between May 21 to August 2.
“Guwahati was an embarkation point for 6,000 passengers and it is unfortunate now that the same has not been offered now to the pilgrims,” mentioned chief of the opposition Debabrata Saikia.
He added that asking the pilgrims of the northeast to finish the worldwide obligatory course of for journey in Mumbai or New Delhi on the eleventh hour will trigger hardships and monetary issues to many. In the earlier years, all worldwide protocols like customs and immigration clearance for taking worldwide flight for the Haj pilgrimage was accomplished on the LGBI airport, Guwahati.
“For the last few years, it was arranged smoothly by the previous governments. All of a sudden this year, stoppage of such special chartered flight has raised many eyebrows and has also started questioning the performance of the Joint State Haj Committee under the ministry of minority affairs, Assam,” learn a letter addressed to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shot off by Saikia late on Friday.
Guwahati was the embarkation level for about 6,000 passengers however now the Haj pilgrims from Assam have been requested to board the flight both from Delhi or Mumbai.
Nekibur Zaman, chairman of the Joint State Haj Committee that appears after Assam and 4 different NE states, mentioned the Haj pilgrims from Assam and neighbouring states have been knowledgeable that they will not get direct chartered flight from Guwahati because the airways firm that gained the bidding has gone bankrupt and stopped operations. “The Central Haj Committee should make alternate arrangements from Guwahati. Now, the Haj pilgrims from Assam and the northeast are being asked to go as normal passengers in international flights from Delhi and Mumbai,” Zaman instructed TOI right here on Saturday.
He mentioned boarding flights in Delhi or Mumbai will create hurdles, particularly for the first-time travellers and the aged. “The payments for the chartered flights have already been made and many pilgrims will now demand refund,” Zaman added.
The Union ministry of civil aviation, in March, invited tenders from designated airways of India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for endeavor Haj constitution flights from 22 stations in India, together with Guwahati, to Jeddah/Madinah and again to respective stations, throughout the interval between May 21 to August 2.
“Guwahati was an embarkation point for 6,000 passengers and it is unfortunate now that the same has not been offered now to the pilgrims,” mentioned chief of the opposition Debabrata Saikia.
He added that asking the pilgrims of the northeast to finish the worldwide obligatory course of for journey in Mumbai or New Delhi on the eleventh hour will trigger hardships and monetary issues to many. In the earlier years, all worldwide protocols like customs and immigration clearance for taking worldwide flight for the Haj pilgrimage was accomplished on the LGBI airport, Guwahati.
“For the last few years, it was arranged smoothly by the previous governments. All of a sudden this year, stoppage of such special chartered flight has raised many eyebrows and has also started questioning the performance of the Joint State Haj Committee under the ministry of minority affairs, Assam,” learn a letter addressed to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shot off by Saikia late on Friday.
