Dubai: The first batch of over lakh Indian Haj pilgrims will arrive in Jeddah on January 4 and all arrangements have been made to receive and accommodate them.

The pilgrims will arrive by an Air India flight and would be received by Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Talmiz Ahmad. The last flight to India will depart on March 16.

Out of the total 1.2 lakh Indian pilgrims, about 70,000 would be performing Haj thanks to central Haj committee (CHC), while private tour operators or non-resident Indians would help the rest.

The Indian missions in co-operation with Saudi authorities have left no stone unturned in ensuring smooth pilgrimage for the Indian devotees.

For the first time all pilgrims of the CHC will stay in Mecca at furnished buildings with bedrooms. Like last year, every building will have a lift and telephone connection. Every floor would have kitchen with gas and refrigerator, according to the Indian Consulate Jeddah.

A total of 315 buildings have been hired within a kilometre from the periphery of the holy Haram to accommodate approximately 66,000 pilgrims. Pilgrims can also opt to stay in Rubats or in arrangements made by their relatives.

In Madina, contracts have been signed with nine contractors to provide accommodation for all pilgrims to stay within 750 metre of the periphery of the Prophet's Mosque.

A total of 247 flights from 11 departure points will bring the pilgrims.

A new destination in India added this year is Nagpur. Pilgrims from Bihar will fly from Gaya to Jeddah via Kolkata.

Air India will carry about 38,500 pilgrims while Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) will transport 33,500.

The number of departure/arrival points in India serviced by SAA from India has been increased from three (Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad) last year to four (Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad) this year.

The website of the Consulate General of India, Jeddah can be accessed at www.cgijeddah.com and has photo slide shows, Web-based orientation manual, weather charts, flight schedules and various other information for pilgrims.

The Haj committee pilgrims can obtain information about their dates of departure from India as well as dates of return and timing of flights.

Information can be accessed from the database either by name of the pilgrim, or the pilgrim's passport number or the cover number provided to the pilgrim by various State Haj committees at the time of filing of applications. The database is updated twice everyday.

E-mail messages to Haj committee pilgrims can be addressed to pilgrim@cgijeddah.com giving name, cover number or passport number of the pilgrim.

A team of 190 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedical staff has already arrived and will man nine clinics and a 20-bedded hospital in Mecca and four clinics in Madina. Medicines worth Rs 10 million have also been received for Indian pilgrims in Mecca and Madina.

Approximately 150 administrative personnel have arrived on deputation to assist the Indian Haj pilgrims at Jeddah Haj terminal, Mecca and Madina.

The Indian Consulate will hire around 400 locals to facilitate Haj management.

PTI