TS Haj pilgrims leaves for Saudi Arabia

A pious atmosphere prevailed at the State Haj House at Nampally on Friday afternoon when the first batch of Haj pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia.

Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali along with Minister for Minority Welfare Koppula Eshwar flagged off the convoy of buses carrying the pilgrims to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport from Haj House. Two flights – each carrying 342 pilgrims from Telangana — left for Jeddah from the RGIA.

Around 4,800 pilgrims from Telangana will be leaving for the pilgrimage till August 4. Another 3,500 belonging Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh will also leave for the pilgrimage from Hyderabad.

Mahmood Ali said the Telangana government had made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims at the Haj House. He



said all arrangements for their stay and pre-departure facilities, including immigration, were being provided at the Haj House camp.

He requested the pilgrims to pray for the welfare of the Telangana State, its people and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He said the State government would try to see that from next year onwards, more people from Telangana could get accommodation at the Nizam Rubath during their pilgrimage. Koppula Eshwar said the government was providing various facilities to the minorities like free coaching for civil service job aspirants and overseas study schemes.

Telangana State Haj Committee Chairman Mohammed Masiullah Khan, Telangana State Wakf Board Chairman Mohd Saleem were present.