Patna: The flight schedule for 2,552 Hajj pilgrims from Bihar has been officially released, with departures planned between April 18 and May 21 from eight airports across the country. This year, there will be no departures from Gaya Airport, as only 97 pilgrims had opted for the facility.
According to the schedule, the first batch of 360 pilgrims from Bihar will depart on April 18 from Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai airports. Nearly 100 pilgrims from Patna district are included in this group. The flights will take off at 6:30 am from Mumbai, 8:20 am from Kolkata, and 10:35 am from Delhi.
Before the commencement of the journey, a collective prayer ceremony will be held at the Hajj Bhawan on Wednesday for the departing pilgrims. Due to ongoing political developments in the state, it remains uncertain which political leaders will attend the event. Traditionally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been present at such ceremonies for the past two decades.
Of the total 2,552 pilgrims, 1,698 will travel to Madina first and return via Jeddah Airport, while 854 pilgrims will travel to Jeddah first and return via Madina Airport. The Hajj pilgrimage is expected to last between 40 to 42 days. The group scheduled between April 18 and May 5 will travel via Madina, while those departing between May 6 and May 20 will use Jeddah Airport.
Notably, this year’s Hajj operation in Bihar will be conducted without a formally constituted state Hajj committee. The formation of the Bihar State Hajj Committee has been pending for 11 months, with the file related to the chairman and members still awaiting approval. This marks the first time in 20 years that the Hajj operation will be conducted without an active committee. However, officials from the Minority Welfare Department and Hajj Committee staff will be present at all airports to assist pilgrims.
A civil aviation expert noted that due to changing airspace conditions, the travel time has increased. He explained that the aerial distance from Delhi to Madina is approximately 4,770 km. Pakistan has kept its airspace closed for Indian aircraft, and ongoing geopolitical tensions have further impacted flight routes.
As a result, flights from Delhi to Madina now take a longer southern route, passing below Pakistan through the Gulf of Oman and then between Oman and the UAE before reaching Madina or Jeddah. Previously, when airspace routes were normal, flights would pass over Pakistan and the UAE, taking around six hours. However, the new route now takes approximately 7 to 7.25 hours, adding about 60 to 75 minutes to the journey.
