Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 25: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today reviewed the arrangements put in place for smooth conduct of Hajj from Jammu and Kashmir at the meeting of State Hajj Committee.
Minister for Hajj and Auqaf, Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, Legislators and Members of the Hajj Committee besides the top level officers attended the meeting.
Receiving brief on different aspects of arrangements point by point, Omar Abdullah, who is also Chairman of the State Hajj Committee emphasized on ensuring all facilities to the pilgrims to and fro as also at Saudi Arabia. He said all agencies responsible for the conduct of Hajj should work in close coordination to render best services to the pilgrims.
It was stated in the meeting that the first Hajj flight from Srinagar Airport will take off on August 27, 2014 at 10 a.m. On the next day two flights will take off and almost same arrangement will continue till September 12, 2014. Each flight will board 275 pilgrims and the flights will operate directly from Srinagar to Madina Munawara. As many as 7007 pilgrims are proceeding to Hajj this year through State Hajj Committee.
All the male pilgrims will be provided with special jackets and female pilgrims with scarves. The meeting was told that necessary vaccination to the pilgrims has already been completed.
Matters pertaining to the transportation of pilgrims from Jammu to Srinagar and the arrangements made for their boarding and lodging at Hajj House were also discussed in detail in the meeting.
Manwhile, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah received detailed PowerPoint presentation by Srinagar Development Authority on Draft Master Plan for Srinagar Local Area 2012-2032 at a high level meeting here.
Minister for Urban Development, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development, Satish Nehru, Vice Chairman LAWDA Irfan Yasin, Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, G. Q. Qasba and various senior officers were present in the meeting.
The Chief Minister asked the concerned department to place the draft proposal before the Cabinet for approval so that same could be put to public domain for suggestions and comments from the general public as early as possible.