Hyderabad: The Haj Committee of India has said that the most efficient and cheapest Haj pilgrimage 1445 AH-2024 in terms of total expenditure on the package will be for the pilgrims of Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad embarkation points.
This announcement was made recently by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Haj Committee of India, Leyaqat Ali Aafaqui.
Dr Aafaqui said that Indian pilgrims of many states, including Hyderabad, will be able to perform Haj in 2024 at a package cost lower than in 2023 due to the personal interest and hard work of the Government of India, especially the Union minister for minority affairs Smriti Zubin Irani.
The pilgrimage package from Hyderabad in 2024 tentatively costs Rs 3,34,700, making it the fourth-lowest cost after Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.
According to a circular released by the Haj Committee of India, the cost of making the pilgrimage from Mumbai is Rs 3,21,150, Delhi costs Rs 3,30,100 and from Ahmedabad, just Rs 3,32,700.
The pilgrimage’s highest cost is estimated to be Rs 4,11,600 from Gaya (Bihar).
Estimated expenditure on package for Haj 2024 from India
| Embarkation points | Total amount |
| Ahmedabad | Rs 3,32,700 |
| Aurangabad | Rs 4,07,200 |
| Bengaluru | Rs 3,43,500 |
| Bhopal | Rs 3,87,150 |
| Calicut | Rs 3,73,000 |
| Chennai | Rs 3,44,950 |
| Cochin | Rs 3,37,100 |
| Delhi | Rs 3,30,100 |
| Gaya | Rs 4,11,600 |
| Guwahati | Rs 4,09,800 |
| Hyderabad | Rs 3,34,700 |
| Indore | Rd 3,71,200 |
| Jaipur | Rs 3,42,500 |
| Kannur | Rs 3,38,000 |
| Kolkata | Rs 3,58,700 |
| Lucknow | Rs 3,39,100 |
| Mumbai | Rs 3,21,150 |
| Nagpur | Rs 3,42,100 |
| Srinagar | Rs 4,08,850 |
| Vijayawada | Rs 4,02,700 |
The Haj Committee has set a Qurbani fee of Rs 15,180 per pilgrim this year, with an additional fee of Rs 9,700 for infants.
Dr Aafaqui said that there is a drastic reduction in airfares for Haj 2024 from several embarkation points including Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, and Cochin.
This year, the airfares for pilgrims in Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Lucknow, and Delhi have decreased by Rs 45,000, Rs 30,000, Rs 26,000, and Rs 20,000, compared to last year.
He further informed that the first flight of Haj pilgrims from India will depart for Madinah on May 9. Most Indian pilgrims this year will travel with Saudi Airlines, Air India, FlyNass, SpiceJet and Flyadeal.
The 2023 Haj season was the first to witness the complete return of pilgrims since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of pilgrims during the 2022 Haj season reached 899,353, while the 2021 season was limited to the participation of only 60,000 from within the Kingdom. The 2020 season witnessed only about 10,000 from within Saudi Arabia, compared to about 2.5 million in 2019 from all over the world.
The Haj pilgrimage to Makkah is a mandatory religious duty that must be performed by those Muslims who are physically and financially able to perform it at least once in a lifetime.
