Kerala tops Haj applications

MALAPPURAM: The applications for this year’s Haj pilgrimage from Kerala has set an all time record with 95,469 applicants seeking a seat in state Haj quota. Gujarat came second with 57,138 applications. Maharashtra (56,066), Uttar Pradesh (51,000), Jammu and Kashmir (36,000) are the other states in the list. The number may vary after scrutiny by committees. Some of them sought more time to scrutinise applications.

The subsequent increase of fifth time applicants, who will be selected directly for pilgrimage as per current norms, may hit first time applicants. There are 9,038 fifth time applicants from Kerala, second in the country after Maharashtra which has 2,158 fifth time applicants. The total Haj seats are limited to 11,580 this year as per a new tender by Civil Aviation ministry on Friday. As per norms the remaining 2,542 seats have to be distributed among 85,000 applicants. The state Haj committee asked the Centre to increase quota to handle the situation. Most applicants from Kerala will be out of the final list.

Meanwhile, the centre has turned down the demand for reinstating the Haj embarkation point at Kozhikode International Airport in Karipur. In a tender inviting airline companies to take the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, the Ministry has put Kochi as the sixth embarkation point from where the pilgrim from Kerala, Lakshadweep and Mahe would be flown. The pilgrims from northern district which constitutes more than 80 per cent of the total pilgrim from the state were expecting Haj flights from Karipur as the runway is all set to reopen completely in March after more than a year long renovation works.

Kozhikode no embarkation point for haj:

The Centre has turned down the demand for reinstating the Haj embarkation point at Kozhikode International Airport in Karipur. In a tender inviting airline companies to take the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, the ministry has put Kochi as the sixth embarkation point from where pilgrims from Kerala, Lakshadweep and Mahe would be flown.

The pilgrims from northern district which constitutes more than 80 per cent of the total pilgrim from the state were expecting Haj flights from Karipur as the runway is all set to reopen completely in March after more than a year long renovation works.