Srinagar, Apr 21: Private Hajj and Umrah service providers in Jammu and Kashmir are pinning hopes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Saudi Arabia visit.
The service providers are currently facing uncertainty as a prolonged stalemate continues over the allocation of pilgrimage seats to local operators. With the visa process yet to open, industry players remain in the dark about their prospects for the 2025 pilgrimage season.
The impasse has left dozens of tour operators across the Union Territory in a state of anxiety, as they await clarity from both Indian and Saudi authorities.
Pertinently, Saudi Arabia has agreed to accommodate 10,000 Indian pilgrims after the union government engaged with the Kingdom over a slashed private Hajj quota. The hajj service providers said the stalemate continues as there has not been any progress from the Saudi government over allocated 10, 000 seats.
This delay has not only disrupted planning but also affected the confidence of pilgrims who usually rely on these private operators for Hajj and Umrah arrangements.
Umar Nazir Tibetbaqal, General Secretary of the All Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Umrah Tour Operators Association, said that the visa system has not opened yet, adding to the uncertainty. “Our members are ready and willing to serve the pilgrims, but we are still waiting for clear communication on seat allotments,” he said.
The service providers are now pinning their hopes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, expecting that the issue will be addressed at the diplomatic level. Many believe that intervention from the highest level of government could bring much-needed relief to the sector.
The private sector plays a significant role in facilitating Hajj and Umrah travel for hundreds of pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir every year. However, the current deadlock threatens to derail their preparations during what is usually a peak planning period.
The service providers claimed that most pilgrims had already paid the full amount for the pilgrimage, and service providers had, in turn, transferred payments to agents based in Saudi Arabia.
They said the situation has added to the uncertainty as none of the pilgrims know who among them is going to leaving for Hajj 2025.