India’s haj applications drop 77% as costs soar, COVID-19 concerns persist
MUMBAI - Haj applications from India's Muslims for this year’s pilgrimage plunged 77% as costs for packages rise by up to 50% to accommodate COVID-19 precautionary measures and pandemic concerns persist.
Anticipating that this year’s annual pilgrimage will be held under special circumstances with fewer pilgrims and more restrictions, the Haj Committee of India issued a set of guidelines on November 7, while inviting applications from prospective pilgrims.
The Committee received only 58,000 applications, via an online process that ran from November and extended until January, compared to around 250,000 that it normally receives every year. India’s pre-pandemic haj pilgrim quota was around 200,000.
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