Pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Photo: @HajMinistry/X
Ballia: Uttar Pradesh minister Danish Azad Ansari on Sunday said Haj pilgrims this year will be given a special hand band with an emergency button, which will allow authorities to monitor them for their safety.
Ansari, who is the Minister of State for Minority Affairs, said the Modi government is fully committed to ensuring better facilities for Haj pilgrims.
He told PTI that around 1.25 lakh pilgrims from India are likely to undertake the pilgrimage in 2026.
The minister said that currently there is one Haj inspector for every 150 pilgrims. “As part of an innovative arrangement this time, every Haj pilgrim will be given a special hand band with an emergency button. Monitoring of each pilgrim will be possible through this,” he said.
Ansari added that by leveraging digital tools and artificial intelligence, the government is working to ensure smoother management and better safety measures for pilgrims during the Haj journey.
“Providing better arrangements and convenience to Haj pilgrims is a priority of the Modi government. For this, a high-level committee has been constituted under my leadership,” the minister said.
Ansari said said he recently visited Makkah in Saudi Arabia
along with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Minority Affairs to review and assess preparations for Haj 2026.This post was last modified on January 25, 2026 3:16 pm