Rajasthan: First batch of 164 Hajj pilgrims return from Saudi Arabia
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India] June 17 (ANI): The return of pilgrims from the sacred Hajj 2025 journey has begun in Rajasthan. On Tuesday, a flight carrying 164 pilgrims, including 81 women and 83 men, touched down at Terminal 1 of the Sanganer International Airport in Jaipur.
The pilgrims, who completed the Hajj pilgrimage, were welcomed by officials, members of the Rajasthan State Hajj Committee, and family members.
This first flight arrived from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and is part of 17 flights scheduled to bring back pilgrims until June 29. Each flight has a capacity of 165 passengers.
While speaking to ANI, Fattu Khan, from Alwar, a pilgrim expressed satisfaction, stating, 'It was very good, it was excellent. People are saying that for the first time, the arrangements have been so good, and the air conditioning worked well throughout the journey. We heard that it's very hot, but we didn't feel it at all.'
'It was a very good journey. Everyone got good facilities there, and the journey was good. It is a matter of great pleasure,' another pilgrim from Alwar added.
Some of the pilgrims expressed that they prayed for peace in the world due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. 'We prayed for peace. Especially for our country. May peace be maintained in our country and in the rest of the world.' Abdul Ghafoor, a hajj pilgrim, said.
Earlier, after smoke was detected from a Saudia Airlines plane that landed at Lucknow airport, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) rushed to the spot and made sure that the smoke was contained and damage to the aircraft averted, Lucknow airport officials said on Monday.
According to officials, no injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred on the morning of June 15. The passengers were safely disembarked, and there was no impact on airport operations.The flight was returning from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, carrying Hajj pilgrims. Smoke and sparks were detected on the plane's wheels shortly after it landed and while it was on the taxiway.
In Islam, it is obligatory for every individual to fulfill five duties (pillars), of which Hajj is one. This year, the Hajj was performed between June 4 and June 9 in Saudi Arabia. The first batch of annual Hajj pilgrims from India started from early May itself. According to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, a total of 1,22,518 hajj pilgrims undertook the sacred journey, with the first flights taking off from Lucknow and Hyderabad itself. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
Air India Delhi-Paris flight cancelled after issues found during pre-flight checks
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Paris-bound Air India flight 143 from Delhi was cancelled on Tuesday afternoon after pre-flight checks identified an issue, which was currently being addressed, an Air India spokesperson confirmed. The AI143 has been cancelled because the flight is subject to restrictions on night operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. 'We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and are making alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination at the earliest. We are providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by the passengers,' an Air India spokesperson said. Consequently, flight AI142 from Paris to Delhi on June 17, 2025, also stands cancelled. Meanwhile, an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai, with a scheduled stop in Kolkata, was grounded on Tuesday after a technical issue was suspected during a routine post-landing inspection. All passengers were safely deplaned, and some have been accommodated in a hotel in Kolkata. Earlier in the day, an IndiGo flight 6E 2706, which was travelling from Muscat to Delhi with a layover at Kochi, made an emergency landing at Nagpur airport on Tuesday after a bomb threat was received. According to Lohit Matani, DCP Nagpur, all passengers have been safely deboarded, and an investigation is currently underway. Preliminary checks have not found anything suspicious so far, officials said. Further investigation into the incident is underway. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Authorities mull traffic reforms as over 3 lakh vehicles enter Himachal's Shimla in 2 weeks
Himachal Pradesh's Shimla is witnessing the full energy of summer holidays as more than three lakh vehicles entered the hill station in the past two weeks, almost half of which were tourists. As the increasing traffic congestion has almost brought life to a standstill in the hill capital, authorities have been prompted to seriously consider imposing traffic regulation reforms. Data from the Shimla district administration showed that over three lakh vehicles entered Shimla in the past two weeks alone. Of these, around 1.5 vehicles were tourist vehicles that made their way into the hill station. Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap confirmed to news agency ANI that tourist movement "is at its peak right now". "From June 1 to June 15, about 1,26,000 vehicles entered Shimla via Solan. In addition, around 40,000 vehicles had entered the capital before June 1 and exited during this period. Counting both entries and exits, the total vehicle movement has crossed three lakh in just 15 days. Daily, around 20,000 vehicles, mostly from other states, are entering Shimla. The traffic congestion is immense, and it's undeniable," said Kashyap. The deputy commissioner said that the administration was working to come up with alternate routes and other mobility options to manage the chaos. "Traffic regulation reforms are under serious consideration. In fact, we have constituted a committee at the ADM level that gathers public feedback," he added. Kashyap said the administration is also taking suggestions from stakeholders, like school principals, transporters, and departmental representatives. They are also considering running Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC)-run buses for specific routes, he added. The comprehensive traffic plan to streamline vehicular movement in Shimla will be presented soon, the deputy commissioner noted. He also said, "From early morning to late night, police teams are deployed for traffic control. Many roads here are restricted or narrow, and tourists rely on Google Maps or other online navigation systems, so proper guidance becomes essential." Kashyap noted that vehicular traffic has increasingly become a challenge in the hill station, saying that it has intensified over the last 5-7 years. "We cannot resolve this without collective cooperation," he emphasized, adding that "a final traffic strategy is being developed with coordination from all stakeholders". The Shimla deputy commissioner also appealed to the region's public to be considerate of the tourists. "Tourists are our guests. We must prioritise their experience. Following the 'Atithi Devo Bhava' ethos, it's our responsibility to ensure their comfort and offer proper guidance. Our policing approach is designed to act as facilitators and not just enforcers. We are trying to build a tourist-friendly policing concept," he was quoted as saying by ANI. Kashyap said that if any untoward incidents occur, then they get captured and go viral on social media, which affects the state's image as well. "So it's important we treat tourists with warmth and support. Our colours, our state, represent politeness and hospitality," he added.
Mint
5 hours ago
- Mint
‘Lot of chaos': Air India flight 159 from Ahmedabad to London cancelled due to operational issues
Air India's flight to London, scheduled to depart from Ahmedabad on Tuesday afternoon, was cancelled due to "operational issues", officials said. Air India's official website confirms that the AI-159 flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick airport in London has been cancelled. The plane was scheduled to depart at 3 pm from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 'We have been informed that the flight has been cancelled due to operational issues. The original flight from Ahmedabad to London, having code AI-171, resumed operation from Monday with a new flight code AI-159,' said the airport official. An AI-159 flight passenger told ANI, 'I was going to Gatwick, London, by the 1 pm Air India flight, but I have just learned that the flight has been cancelled. The crew members could not give any reason for the flight cancellation or details on a fare refund.' A relative of an AI-159 passenger says, 'We have been told that today's flight has been cancelled and it will depart at 1100 hours tomorrow. All passengers here are troubled.' Another passenger said, 'We could have had more clarity in terms of when is our next flight and all that. But there was a lot of chaos…After a couple of hours, they said that they are not able to fix, so we are going to deplane. That is all that technical snags happen, it is part of flying. I have travelled international many times and I have seen this in multiple airlines. This is not an Air India thing, it's a technical snag. I had booked my ticket 2-3 weeks next flight is at 7 pm today…' The official did not elaborate on "operational issues" that caused the flight cancellation. Flight AI-171, which crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, has been replaced with a new code, AI-159. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew members on board the flight AI-171 were killed in the crash.
