Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Bench in Aurangabad has issued a notice to Haj Committee of India seeking its response in 10 days on the excess amount it is charging to the pilgrims going for Hajj 2023 from Aurangabad Embarkation Point.
The HC Bench of the Bombay High Court in Aurangabad issued notice to Markazi Haj Committee following a petition filed by the pilgrims from Aurangabad who said the excess charges are not only unjustified but also exorbitant.
The pilgrims in their petition asked the court to direct the Haj Committee of India to either abolish the excess charges or change their embarkation point.
Similar petition has also been filed in the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court by the pilgrims going to Hajj this year from Nagpur Embarkation Point.
As per the total Hajj amount charged by the Haj Committee of India, the pilgrims going for Hajj 2023 from Mumbai embarkation point are charged Rs 3,04,843/-, those who have opted Bengaluru embarkation point are charged Rs 3,03,921/- and the one going from Hyderabad are being charged Rs 3,015,173/-.
However, pilgrims who have selected Gaya embarkation point are charged a huge Rs. 4,00,361/-, pilgrims from Srinagar have been asked to deposit Rs. 3,95,020/- and charges for the pilgrims from Aurangabad have been fixed as Rs. 3,92,738/-.
There are a total of 2,100 and 1,600 pilgrims who respectively chose Nagpur and Aurangabad as their embarkation points for Hajj 2023.
Because of the huge cost difference they now want to change the embarkation point.
Angry pilgrims had earlier written to the Haj Committee of India to reconsider the excess charge. They however approached the high court after their pleas found no takers.
The Haj Committee of India on its part said a decision on the matter can only be taken by the Ministry of Minority Affairs which also looks after the Haj travel and other arrangements. But, the ministry has so far not responded to the concerns of the pilgrims who are pleading with it since more than two weeks.
Meanwhile, the first Haj flight from India is set to embark for Saudi Arabia from Mumbai, Srinagar and other embarkation points on Monday May 22, 2023.
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