Haj Manual

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HAJ PILGRIMAGE

Haj: Basic Facts


y Period of Haj operations: 1st Zil Qadah 15th Muharram Corresponding to 29th September 10th December 2011 : 72 Days y Core Haj Period at Mina and Arafat: 8th Zil Hijjah-12th Zil Hijjah: Corresponding to 4 November-9th November 2011 (5 Days). Day of Arafat 5th November 2011. y Total Number of Indian Pilgrims: 1.7 Lakh Indian pilgrims perform Haj (1.25 Lakh through HCOI & 45,000 PTOs) y Holy Cities and period of stay of Indian Pilgrims: Makkah: 28 days: Madinah 8 days: Mina and Arafat: 5 Days
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Structure of Haj Management in India


Ministry of External Affairs

Haj Committee of India: Mumbai

Embassy Of India: Riyadh/Consulate General of India: Jeddah

Course of Events related to Haj


y Haj work starts with the Haj Action Plan: y Calendar of events related to Haj y HCOI advertises inviting application from prospective pilgrims. y Haj Review Meeting: Rates and Categories of buildings are decided.(18 y y y y y y y y

Feb) Haj Agreement Signing: MoS (MEA) signs Haj Agreement. (26th March) Selection of buildings for Pilgrims in Makkah. (Started in March) Process for selection of pilgrims starts in India (May ) Pilgrims make payment: 3 installments (June - September) First flight carrying Indian pilgrims would start arriving from 29th Sep. Core Haj Period: 4th November-9th November 2011 Pilgrims stay for 8 days in Madinah before or after Haj Last flight leaves Kingdom on 10th December.

How Buildings were selected in Makkah


Step 1 BST BSC BMC
Advertisement in Major English News Papers and Arabic news Papers regarding parameters and requirements. Building Selection Team comprises of Representatives of State Government or State Haj Committees Makes provisional recommendation after inspection and measurement of buildings

Building Selection Committee comprises of Members of Central Haj Committee and Consul (Haj) Inspects all buildings shortlisted by BST and makes final approval Reviews the work of BST & BSC: comprises of Ambassador, Chairperson HCOI and Consul General Empowered to relax 100 Metres in each category under exceptional circumstances

Factors affecting hiring of buildings in Makkah.


Look for more margin at the cost of Quality Agents: Necessary Evil

Multiple agents bring same building

Building Hiring Varying rents: Unregulated Market Fierce competition Rejection leads to complaints Saudis agents are limited in numbers and not very reliable.
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Factors affecting hiring of accommodation in Makkah


 Demolition around Holy Mosque.  1080 buildings already demolished around Haram (5,00,000 Sq Met)  962 buildings earmarked for demolition.  418 buildings to be demolished for Rail project.  Affordability and expectations of Indian pilgrims are

going up.  Additional Quota release in the last moment.


 3.5 m2 to 4 m2 Implications. Decrease in availability. 12.5%

Categories and Rents for Pilgrims in Makkah


Year Entitled space/per pilgrim Category Rent

Green White Azizziah

SR.4000 SR.3200 SR.2500 +SR 120 Transport

Haj-2011

4 Sq. Mtr. Per pilgrim

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Allotment of Accommodation to Pilgrimsthe pilgrim selected in Qurra are obtained by Computer in Makkah. y Data of all
y y y y y y

cell. Servers of Both CGI and HCOI are interlinked. Reported Pilgrims data is updated on the server of HCOI from the concerned embarkation point 36 Hrs before the departure of Aircraft. . Computer cell completes the process of accommodation allotment and makes it available through the webpage Each Embarkation point is provided with a unique username and password to log on to the CGI website. Concerned embarkation generates the accommodation stickers and pastes them on the Pilgrims' passport. In case if pilgrims arrive without stickers the Mission staff can generate the stickers locally (At the Haj Terminal). Pilgrims arriving in Madinah stay for a period of 8 days in Madinah. During their stay Computer cell allots accommodation and the same is available online at IHO, Madinah . Officials at IHO Madinah generate the accommodation stickers and paste it in the Pilgrims passport.

Arrangements at Makkah and Madinah


Arrangements at Makkah and Madinah Managing Movement of Pilgrims (Jeddah-Makkah-Madinah) Managing transport between Azizia and Haram (55,000 Pilgrims) 12 branch administrative offices to assist pilgrims in Makkah 5 branch administrative offices to assist pilgrims in Madinah. Lost Baggage Wing (Handled and resolved 7800 complaints) Assisting Pilgrims who lose their way. (24000 pilgrims assisted ) Assisting Arrested Pilgrims (11 pilgrims were assisted) Assisting Pilgrims who lose their Cash (1095 ) Information services: Information Centre: Kaki Building. May I Help you 24X7 Help Line assisted more than 8000 pilgrims. Medical Services
 Round the clock Main Dispensary at Jeddah Haj Terminal.  Round the Clock Main 50 bed Hospital in Makkah and 12 Branches dispensaries  Round the clock Main Dispensary in Madinah, 5 Branches in Madinah  Facilitating departure of ailing pilgrims.  Assistance to complete formalities in Death Cases. 273 cases.  Assistance to 11 birth cases during Haj 2010  Presence of round the clock team in Government Hospitals

Arrangements for Mina and Arafat


 Offices of Indian Haj Mission in Mina and Arafat functioned round-the-clock.  Mina: Arrangements were made for a separate dispensary to attend to pilgrims. Information desks, Missing Pilgrims desk and Complaints Redressal desk were set up to assist pilgrims.  Maps showing all the camps of Indian pilgrims were printed and distributed to pilgrims.  Jamarat Task Force was set up to advice pilgrims on the Do s and Don ts during Rammi [stoning] and to monitor movement of pilgrims.  A team of staff members are formed in Arafat to assist lost pilgrims to find their respective tents.  Several Indian Voluntary Organizations offered their assistance in Mina and Arafat by guiding pilgrims, helping pilgrims in the hospitals and assisting lost pilgrims.

Constraints: General Services and Medical Services


Constraints: General Services Orientation inadequate Aged pilgrims Azizia Transport Madinah Movement Excess baggage /odd sized baggage

Constraints: Mina and Arafat


Moallims tents are cramped Availability of Indian food Bus Transport to Arafat not reliable Pressure on Haj Mission tents Pressure on Medical Dispensary

Constraints: Medical Mission Advance team required for setting up branches Requirement for more Doctors , esp Female Doctors and Paramedics Psychiatric patients Requirements for Ambulances

Services of buildings
y Representatives of Owner/Agents y Shortcomings of Indian pilgrims y A/C y Lift y Water y Toilets y Redressing Grievances y Building Welfare Wing: y Branches y Task Force y Agencies to handle services in case grievance not redressed y Penalties: 18 Lakh Riyals: 2009 y Black Listing Buildings

Air Operations during Haj 2010


Airlines Saudi Arabian Airlines NAS Al Wafeer Total Phase I 274 106 64 444 Phase II 270 106 65 441 Total 544 212 129 885

*Air India operated 6 chartered flights in both incoming phase and outgoing phase

Air Operations Haj 2010


 A total of 450 aircraft carried Indian pilgrims  For the first time in several years, AIR INDIA did not participate in Haj

Charter operations

 Consulate was not involved in finalizing flight schedule.  Last date for filing of flight schedule with GACA was 29th August, 2010;

however it was submitted only on 4th October, 2010 (Just 5 days before the arrival of first flight)

Major issues in Air Operations during Haj-2010


I Air Charter operations
 Al

Wafeer Airlines: New, inexperienced and incompetent. No infrastructure and total dependence on Haj Mission. Jeddah Haj Terminal.

 Arrival: 34 diversions of Saudias Madinah flights to  11,000 Departures from Madinah: Transit hotel and food.  Departure: Saudia mismatch of 105 flights.  NAS: Performed well.
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[1.] Double Madinah Movement


1.

As per the decree of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, pilgrims are not supposed to travel from Makkah to Madinah just to board flights.

2.

However, on account of our faulty flight schedule, around 11,000 Indian pilgrims had to travel from Makkah to Madinah (450 km) to board flights instead of just going to Jeddah (80 km).

3.

The Director General at the Ministry of Haj was very critical on the issue and instructed us to provide accommodation facility for 2 days in Madinah before the flight departure at our cost.

A:

[2.] Mismatch between Arrivals and Departures Imbalance of flights arriving at Madinah
As per the flight scheduled 72,000 pilgrims arrived directly in Madinah as compared to 27,000 in Haj 2009. Norm: 50:50, Pre Haj:Post Haj. This imbalance in the number of pilgrims was a major challenge to the Indian Haj Mission and also to the firms handling accommodation.

B: Mismatch between incoming and outgoing flights capacity


The incoming and outgoing capacity for 105 flights operated by Saudi Arabia airlines did not match. Eg: 300 incoming, 350 outgoing flights. About 34 flights of Saudi Arabian airlines which were supposed to land at Madinah Airport landed at Jeddah Airport. Baggage did not accompany the pilgrims. Allotment of accommodation in Madinah for these flight got disturbed.

[3.] Al Wafeer s Performance


y Handling haj operations for the first time. y No experienced operational manpower: No idea of how to handle pilgrims and other airport agencies. y Flights delayed for days: 7 hours was normal and 5 days was the longest delay. y No clue on when an aircraft would land and when it will take off. y Baggage left behind in huge quantities. y To avoid further delay at terminal, pilgrims held back at Makkah.

Standardization of Baggage
y Indian pilgrims can be identified by the odd sized and excess check in baggage resulting in long hours for checkin, extra vehicles needed to carry, delay in mobilization. y They carry odd sized hand baggage y No Quality Identification stickers on Baggage leading to loss. y Ministry of Haj has emphatically written that Food Items should not be brought and Baggage should be standardized. y Suggestions: Only standard baggage should be allowed for Check-in from India. Food stuffs should be restricted. Baggage entitlement should be rationalized.

Baggage in outgoing phase last year

Other Challenges
 Introduction of small Airlines: Experience with NAS  Departure from Madinah  No infrastructure and dependence on Haj Mission  Cancellation of flights  Other Challenges  Haj Goodwill Delegation Size and other problems:
 

Haj 2008: 34 Members + Accompanying Members Haj 2009: 29 Members + Accompanying Members

 Medical Fitness of Pilgrims: Medical certificates for

pilgrims  Pregnant Women coming for pilgrimage.

Private Tour Operators


y HAJ 2009: 584 PTOs operated. y This is around 200 more than Haj 2008. y No single body to address issues. PTOs are also disoriented on

arrival: Managing Some pilgrims and baggage falls on the Mission. y However they approach the Mission for;

y The Mission forwards the quota received from Ministry and follows up

regularly for approval from MoHaj. y To liaise with Ministry of Haj and Moassasa in case of difficulties. y Processing of death cases and assistance in hospitalized cases. y PTO pilgrims also use the dispensaries operated by the Mission in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.

y Suggestion: A representative of the PTOs should be present in

the Haj Terminal in Jeddah, Madinah and the Indian Haj Mission Offices in Makkah and Madinah to liaise and address issues related to PTOs. 27

Thank You

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