Sadananda Gowda likely to flag off Haj flights from Bajpe on September 29

Udupi, August 29: As many as 700 Haj pilgrims from Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Uttar Kannada and Udupi districts will take off from Mangalore to Madina in the daily evening flights starting Sep 29 to Oct 3. Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda is expected to flag off the flight carrying Haj pilgrims at Mangalore Airport, said Karnataka State Haj Committee Member and Udupi District BJP Minority Morcha President M Salim Ambagilu.

Speaking to the media he said the Committee had received as many as 12,812 applications from the pilgrims from all over the state, of which 5,677 have been chosen to take up the pilgrimage as per the available quota. As many as 4,404 pilgrims were selected through Kurra (lottery) and 1,273 were chosen directly. An additional 272 got the opportunity under the waiting list.

There were three take off destinations for the pilgrims from Karnataka- Bangalore, Mangalore and Hyderabad.

650 Pilgrims from Yadgiri, Bidar and Gulburga will take off from Hyderabad. As many as 4327 pilgrims will take off from Bangalore to Zedda. The Haj package is scheduled for 41 to 45 days from Mangalore, he added.

A 20 member team of Khadimul Hujaj has also been appointed to join the pilgrims in their journey to take care of all necessary rules and regulations. The two day camp in Mangalore has also been organized at old Bajpe Airport on 27 and 28 September. The payment mode for the pilgrimage is in three modes. Under green category, white category and Aziza. A pilgrim, who seeks to take up the pilgrimage under green category, will have to pay Rs 1.19 lakh, Rs 1.15 lakh under white category and Rs 1.02 lakh under Aziza category, Salim said.