Saudi Arabia has agreed to India’s proposal to revive the option of Haj pilgrimage through sea route, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Monday adding that the service will begin soon.
The minister made the announcement shortly after signing the bilateral annual Haj 2018 agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Haj and Umrah Minister, Mohammad Benten at Makkah.
“Saudi Arabia has given green signal for India’s decision to revive option of Haj pilgrimage through sea route also & officials from both countries will discuss on all formalities & technicalities so that Haj through sea route can be re-started in coming yrs,” he tweeted.
“Sending Haj pilgrims through ships will help cut down travel expenses significantly. It will be a revolutionary, pro-poor, pilgrim-friendly decision,” he said.
As per reports, the journey via sea from cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Cochi will cut down travel expenses by almost half as compared to air travel.
An economy class ticket for the around five-hour flight between Mumbai and Jeddah costs between Rs.25,000 and Rs.52,000 (without subsidy) while from Delhi, the ticket price varies from Rs.18,000 to Rs.61,000 per head.
The minister further informed that the practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways was stopped in 1995.
As the ship which would transport the pilgrims, MV Akbari grew old, the practice was scrapped.
Talking about Muslim women who would perform the Haj without a male companion, Naqvi said separate accommodation and transport will be arranged for such pilgrims along with female Haj assistants.
The option to send pilgrims by sea route is being weighed in the wake of a 2012 Supreme Court verdict asking the Union government to abolish by 2022 the subsidy offered to Haj pilgrims who travel by air.