By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: The troubles for Indian Hajis began with the first flight itself. The first group of pilgrims from Kerala who reached the Jeddah International Airport at around 7 pm on Tuesday could reach their places of accommodation only in the early hours of Wednesday. There are worries that the pilgrims who are yet to come may have to undergo more of this ordeal.
The delay in getting out of the airport is mainly attributed to the checkings in the airport which take hours. Taking fingerprints and photos of eyes, medical check up for H1N1 flu and customs check for a single pilgrim take three hours.
The first flight from Calicut Airport reached Jeddah at 6.45 pm on Tuesday but no pilgrim could get out of the airport before 10.30 pm. It was 2 am on Wednesday when the tests of all pigrims in the flight were over. The pilgrims reached Shamiya in Makkah where they were arranged accommodation at 4 am. The Fajr prayer in Haram was over by the time the last bus also reached the place.
The time delay has troubled the officers in the Consulate and other staff who are on deputation, who are in service whole day and night. Other people who were in Jeddah and Makkah to receive the Hajis from Kerala also faced troubles by this. Unlike the previous times, only a small place is reportedly allowed for the Indian Mission in the Hajj Terminal.