Agreements inked to provide services to Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Tawafa Organization for the South Asian Pilgrims signed a set of agreements with a high-level Indian Central Hajj Committee delegation for the provision of various services and facilities to 136,000 pilgrims at the holy sites. Raafat Badr, chairman of the board, represented the organization in signing the agreements at a ceremony held recently.

B.S. Mubarak, consul general of India, told Saudi Gazette that around 100,000 Indians will arrive this year for hajj under the government category while 36,000 pilgrims will come through the Private Tour Operators. India’s quota for hajj 2015 will remain the same as the previous year due to the ongoing massive expansion works of the Grand Mosque.

“It has been agreed that all Indian pilgrims will be provided with tents within the traditional boundaries of the tent city of Mina, and the Tawafa establishment will serve food to the pilgrims at the holy sites,” he said adding that food will be served to pilgrims at their lodgings in Madinah this year also.

Last year, Indian Central Hajj Committee delegation signed agreements with six housing groups for accommodating hajj pilgrims, and serving food to pilgrims at their accommodation was one of the conditions of the agreements.

Mubarak also unveiled plans to introduce new reforms in the services and facilities being rendered to the pilgrims for this year’s hajj. Mashair train facilities will be provided to 100,000 Indian pilgrims.

The Indian delegation was comprised of Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, chairman of the long-term accommodation selection committee, Qaisar Shamim, chairman of Central Hajj Committee of India, and Abdul Rashid Ansari, member of the selection committee.

This was first published on the Saudi Gazette.