Hyderabad: If you step into the Haj House here you will be surprised at its transformation. It now resembles a mini Airport. There are counters for customs, immigration check and baggage screening.
One can also find foreign currency exchange, passport distribution and boarding pass issue counters.
Even Airport luggage trolleys can be spotted at the outer gate. Selected pilgrims have to just sit in the buses bound for the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for their onward journey to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, all arrangements are in place for the Haj 2023. The first batch of pilgrims from Telangana districts poured in at the Haj House on Monday marking the commencement of the 18-day long Haj camp. The sprawling Haj House has been spruced up and elaborate arrangements have been made for the accommodation of pilgrims who want to stay here. Food arrangements are also in place. The first flight with 149 pilgrims will take off on Wednesday at 10.15 a.m. Nearly 7000 pilgrims, including some from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, will emplane to Saudi Arabia from the Hyderabad embarkation point.
Right from morning hectic activity was seen at the Haj House with some pilgrims running around to take the vaccination while some queued up at the foreign currency exchange counter to buy Saudi Riyal. A good number of pilgrims were seen shopping for Ihram, the two-piece unstitched cloth draped by pilgrims. Ihram belts, books on pilgrimage and other such accessories are being provided at the Haj House for the convenience of the pilgrims. Some voluntary agencies are even providing free Xerox and print out facilities.
Telangana Haj Committee chairman, Mohammed Saleem, accompanied by committee members, took stock of the arrangements and went round the Haj House to ensure that everything was in place.
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