Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, seeking urgent intervention to ensure that the baggage of Haj pilgrims is transported along with them on the same flights returning to Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources said that the Chief Minister, in a letter to the Union Minister, highlighted the inconvenience being faced by Haj pilgrims due to delays in the transportation of checked-in baggage from Saudi Arabia to Srinagar.
According to the letter, many pilgrims, particularly elderly Hajis, have expressed concern and disappointment over the existing arrangement under which their baggage is being routed separately and transported by road from Ahmedabad because of operational constraints and ongoing maintenance works at Srinagar Airport.
“It is learnt that due to ongoing maintenance works and operational constraints at Srinagar Airport, the checked-in baggage of the pilgrims could not be transported on the same flights carrying them back to Jammu & Kashmir,” the Chief Minister wrote.
He said the delay has caused considerable inconvenience to pilgrims and their families, especially as it affects long-standing religious and social traditions associated with Haj.
The Chief Minister further stated that pilgrims usually distribute Zamzam water, dates and other religious offerings among relatives, neighbours and well-wishers immediately upon returning home, and the delay in baggage delivery has disrupted these practices.
“In view of the above, I seek your kind intervention for transportation of baggage of the Haj pilgrims returning to J&K safely and concurrently with the pilgrims on the same flights,” Omar Abdullah said in the letter.
He added that timely and secure transportation of baggage would help avoid hardships being faced by the pilgrims and preserve the sanctity of items carrying religious and sentimental value.
The Chief Minister also sought early and favourable consideration of the matter from the Union Civil Aviation Minister.
Earlier, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) had clarified that the baggage restrictions were necessitated due to runway maintenance and operational limitations at Srinagar Airport.
The Ministry had stated that owing to a NOTAM and temporary runway length restrictions at Srinagar Airport, return Haj flights operated by Akasa Airlines for Srinagar were being routed via Ahmedabad.
Under the arrangement, pilgrims are being allowed to carry up to 35 kilograms of check-in baggage up to Ahmedabad, while only 5 kilograms of check-in baggage per pilgrim is permitted onboard on the Ahmedabad–Srinagar sector. The remaining baggage is being transported separately by road to Srinagar.
