JEDDAH — The offices of Indian Haj mission have become fully functional in Makkah, Madinah and at the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah catering to the needs of pilgrims from the country, the Consulate General of India said in a press statement. About 30,000 pilgrims performing the pilgrimage through the Haj Committee of India arrived in the Kingdom, most of them in Madinah, as of Thursday. This is in addition to thousands of others who came through private tour operators. Indian pilgrims started arriving in Jeddah and Madinah on Sept. 17. A 500-strong delegation, including 117 doctors and 143 paramedics, deputed by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, to serve the pilgrims has also arrived in the two holy cities. The Haj mission has set up 12 branch offices in Makkah and five in Madinah. Scores of officials and local employees have been deployed at these offices to serve the pilgrims and to take care of their problems. Two 50-bed hospitals in Makkah and another 30-bed hospital in Madinah are functioning round the clock. More than 6,000 pilgrims have received medical assistance at these hospitals so far. Pilgrims above 70 years of age are being checked personally by the hospital staff and given necessary advice, the consulate statement said. The Indian Pilgrims Welfare Fund has given assistance to 18 pilgrims who lost their money and belongings after arriving in the Kingdom, the statement added. — SG
