335 Pilgrims to depart from Vijayawada for Haj-2026

: As preparations for Hajj-2026 gear up, Minority Welfare Department secretary Chitturi Sridhar on Thursday directed officials to ensure foolproof arrangements for pilgrims.

At a review meeting in Vijayawada, he said 2,005 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh will perform the pilgrimage this year. Of these, 335 pilgrims (169 men and 166 women) will depart from the Vijayawada embarkation point, while others will travel via Hyderabad (1,134), Bengaluru (515), Chennai (14), Mumbai (5) and Delhi (2).

With the pilgrim camp being set up at SM Convention Center near Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada has been identified as the main embarkation point. Authorities have been instructed to provide facilities such as seating, drinking water, sanitation, medical assistance, health checks, counseling and vaccination, along with the availability of ambulances.

AC buses will transport pilgrims to the airport, while police will manage security and traffic.

Firstly, two flights of Saudi Airlines will operate directly from Gannavaram Airport.

Sheikh Hasan Basha, chairman of the State Hajj Committee, said coordinated efforts were ongoing to ensure the smooth conduct of the hajj.