Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy flagged off the eighth batch of Haj pilgrims at Haj House today. The Chief Minister personally interacted with the pilgrims, requesting them to pray for peace and prosperity in the state.
Prominent attendees included State Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, State Haj Committee Chairman Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani, State Waqf Board Chairman Syed Azmatullah Hussaini, and several other Congress Muslim leaders.
So far, seven batches of pilgrims have departed from Hyderabad to Madinah between April 29 and May 13. Beginning today, subsequent batches will fly directly to Jeddah. The group flagged off today was the first to don the Ihram. The final batch is scheduled to depart on May 29.
This year, a total of 12,000 pilgrims will depart from Hyderabad for the Haj pilgrimage. Among them, 8,872 are from Telangana, while the remaining pilgrims hail from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and other states. Around 1,200 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh have selected Hyderabad as their embarkation point.
In total, 31 batches will depart from Hyderabad until May 29. The first flight, carrying over 260 pilgrims, left for Madinah on April 29. After spending 10 days in Madinah, these pilgrims will proceed to Makkah.
The Haj Camp at Haj House has served as a central hub for pilgrims arriving from various districts and states. Comprehensive arrangements were made by different government departments to ensure a smooth experience. Pilgrims were transported by bus to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for their respective flights.
According to Haj Committee Chairman Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani, 46 Haj inspectors have been deployed, with each overseeing around 150 pilgrims. “We have also issued CPR, fitness, and health guidelines due to the extreme temperatures in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Pilgrims have been advised to stay hydrated and take necessary health precautions throughout their journey.
