First batch of Haj pilgrims leave from Vijayawada airport
Haj pilgrims at the Haj camp in Gannavaram in Vijayawada before leaving for Jeddah on Monday
Vijayawada: The first batch of the Andhra Pradesh Haj pilgrims left from Vijayawada airport to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday morning. The Andhra Pradesh minority welfare department and Krishna district administration made arrangements for the stay and departure from the Vijayawada airport.
Secretary, state minority welfare department, and in-charge of Haj operations Harshavardhan flagged off the bus carrying the pilgrims from camp to the airport on Monday morning. Wakf Board CEO Abdul Khadeer, Haj Committee members and Dudekula Corporation Md Gouse Peer, director of Urdu Academy Aleem Basha and other officials were present on the occasion.
The Haj pilgrims will travel from Vijayawada for three days on May 27,28 and 29. A total of 322 pilgrims departed on the first day Monday and another batch of 322 will depart on Tuesday. On the last day, 48 pilgrims will leave the airport. The Haj Committee has announced that 692 Haj pilgrims of Andhra Pradesh have registered their names to travel to Mecca from Vijayawada airport. Andhra Pradesh Haj pilgrims have left from Hyderabad, Bengaluru and some other places in recent days. For the second year, the pilgrims travelled from Vijayawada to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Last year also pilgrims travelled from Vijayawada to Saudi Arabia.