Amid uncertainty looming over Hajj-2020 due to pandemic coronavirus, the authorities have assured full refund of the amount the prospective pilgrims here have deposited so far, in case the pilgrimage gets cancelled this year.
In Jammu and Kashmir over 10,000 Hajj aspirants havedeposited their first installment and some have also paid second installment.However, due to the covid19 pandemic there is thick possibility that the Hajjmay get cancelled this year.
Of the 16,000 aspirants who had applied for Hajj 2020, over10,000 were selected by the Hajj Committee of India through a draw of lots,while aspirants above 70-year of age could not be dropped as per provisions ofnew Hajj policy.
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, J&K’s Hajj Officer, Dr.Abdul Salam Mir said: “We are waiting for the decision to be taken by the Saudigovernment whether to permit this year Hajj or not.”
However, he assured the Hajj aspirants that their paymentspaid through installments “are safe and will be refunded in case the pilgrimageis cancelled.”
A Hajj Committee of India circular reads: “Considering theuncertainty and the situation all over world the declaration of thirdinstallment will be done after getting the confirmation of the Hajj andparticipation of Indians in Hajj by Saudi Arabia.”
“The amount deposited by aspirants with Hajj Committee ofIndia is safe and can be returned fully at any time in case any unexpecteddecision happens in future,” it reads.
Saudi Arabia has asked Muslims to wait until there is moreclarity over the coronavirus pandemic before planning to attend the annual Hajjpilgrimage. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round Umrahpilgrimage due to fears of coronavirus spread. It was an unprecedented movethat raised uncertainty over the annual Hajj. Besides suspending Umrahpilgrimage, Saudi Arabia has also halted all international passenger flightsindefinitely and last week blocked entry and exit to several cities, including theholy cities of Makkah and Medina. Cancelling the entire Hajj has no precedent,but curbing attendance from “high-risk areas” has happened before, including inrecent years during the Ebola outbreak.
Local Umrah-Hajj service providers suffer
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s Rs 700 crore Hajj and Umrah travel business has fallen prey to the deadly virus. As per preliminary estimates there are close to 200 service providers in Kashmir offering Umrah packages while as seven private tour operators are authorized to take pilgrims for Hajj. The average annual turnover of this sector is pegged at Rs 700 crore. However, post coronavirus outbreak, the Saudi government imposed restrictions on Umrah from March 1, which took a toll on the business of these 200 companies. The scare of coronavirus has put in lockdown mode entire aviation sector in the world, which means that Kashmir’s only successful outbound tourism sector is in peril.