50% Dip in Hajj Pilgrims This Year in J&K: Officials

Costlier Hajj rates, non-participation of foreign airlines and high temperatures being the reason; pilgrimage starts from May 4

- Ashiq Hussain

SRINAGAR: There has been around a 50% decline in the number of pilgrims who will be performing Hajj from Jammu and Kashmir this year as compared to 2024, officials said, citing costlier Hajj rates owing to the discontinuation of subsidy, non-participation of foreign airlines, and high temperatures as the reason.

The Hajj-2025 flights from Jammu and Kashmir will commence from May 4 with over 3,624 pilgrims expected to perform the annual pilgrimage this year, down from 7,008 pilgrims who went for Hajj last year.

Officials said that a majority of the flights will operate from Srinagar International Airport to Saudi Arabia.

"As many as 3,624 pilgrims from J&K and 242 from Ladakh will perform Hajj this year," said Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, executive officer, J&K Hajj Committee.

This year, Hajj flights are scheduled to begin from May 4, from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia, with the final flight carrying pilgrims on May 15.