|
|
|
|
Patna,(BiharTimes): In yet another blow to the Patna International Airport aviation authorities have opted for Gaya International Airport to ferry Haj pilgrims.
After a gap of eight years Haj pilgrims from Bihar would once again be catching their flight from Gaya. They would now be able to fly directly to Medina.
|
Air India will operate two flights daily to Medina from September 17 to October 6. Each flight would carry around 160 pilgrims.The return flights from Jeddah airport will be operated from November 1 to 20.
Earlier, pilgrims used to travel to Medina and return from Jeddah via Kolkata.Against the quota of 10,000 pilgrims from Bihar, only 6,000 would go to Medina.
The pilgrims from all over the state would converge to Haj Bhawan in Patna for their passports and other papers and from here they would be ferried to Gaya in buses.
This is the first time after 2004 when flights for Haj will be operated from the Gaya airport. Then pilgrims used to fly to Kolkata from where they would take the Haj flights for Jeddah.
The direct flight to Medina will save the pilgrims from Bihar around 14 hours. Earlier it used to take the pilgrims around 20 to 22 hours to reach Medina via Kolkata.
|
