JEDDAH – Minister of Haj and Umrah Muhammad Bantan has said Haj pilgrims will be able to take advantage of new facilities and arrangements at the Grand Mosque following the completion of the expansion of mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba). Bantan made the remarks during a meeting with Indian Ambassador Ahmed Javed at his office in Makkah on Wednesday. Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh, Deputy Consul General and Haj Consul Shahid Alam and senior officials of the ministry were also present. Bantan lauded the excellent arrangements made by the Indian Haj Mission for its pilgrims. He underlined the need for further enhancing the strong, deep-rooted and historic bilateral relations between the two countries. "I appreciate the high-tech facilities and services being rendered by the Indian Mission to pilgrims from the country, especially in disseminating information and locating accommodation," he said, adding that India is among the countries that send the largest number of pilgrims. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Rahman Sheikh and Alam said the minister had expressed happiness over the elaborate arrangements and preparations made by the Indian Mission for the upcoming Haj. They said the first flight carrying Indian pilgrims from New Delhi would land at 5.30 on Aug. 4 at Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah. A total of 1,36,020 Indians will perform Haj this year. On his part, Ambassador Javed lauded the efforts of the Saudi government in extending all facilities and services to enable the Haj and Umrah pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort. He also praised the ministry for introducing e-bracelets and other high-tech services for the guests of Allah. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Central Haj Committee of India (CHCI) met with senior officials of the Tawafa Organization for South Asia (TOSA) in Jeddah on Monday. They discussed various aspects of the arrangements for the upcoming Haj, especially accommodation and movement of pilgrims at the holy sites and between Makkah and Madinah. In the meeting, TOSA was represented by its Chairman Rafat Badr, Vice Chairman Zaki Hariri, and Omar Siraj Akbar, officer in charge of Indian Haj pilgrims. The Indian delegation included Attaur Rahman, CEO of CHCI, members of the committee including Haji Ilyas Hussain, Dr. Munish Ahmed Ansari, and Mohammed Irfan Ahmed. The meeting was hosted by Consul General Rahman Sheikh, Alam and other officials. The TOSA takes care of the largest contingent of foreign pilgrims who come for Haj from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In February, the Indian Haj Mission honored heads of five maktabs (pilgrim service offices), which offered outstanding services to Indian pilgrims.
