Left: Dr. Muhammad Abid Ajmer, head of the Indian medical mission for Haj, Center: A.B. Abbas, the man in charge of pilgrims' transport, Right: Muhammad Abdul Salam, the official in charge of the Indian Haj Mission.



Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — With more than 73,000 Indian pilgrims arriving in Makkah and Madinah by early Friday, the country’s Haj Mission has swung into action in serving the pilgrims round the clock.



Saudi Gazette recently visited the Haj Mission office located opposite Qishla Park in Jarwal near the Haram, toured the facilities and met with its senior officials.



Indian Haj Consul Sheikh Muhammad Noor Rahman is in charge of all affairs of the pilgrims.



He said as of midnight Thursday, 72,850 pilgrims — 62,176 in Madinah and 10,674 in Jeddah — arrived on board 244 flights.



So far, 49,608 pilgrims arrived in Makkah, including those who moved to the holy city after visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.



A total of 136,020 Indian pilgrims are performing Haj this year, including 121,420 traveling under the country’s national Haj committee and 14,600 under private groups.



Muhammad Abdul Salam, the official in charge of the Haj Mission, told Saudi Gazette that there are 277 employees at the mission and its 13 branch offices who are actively involved in serving the pilgrims.



They include seven permanent employees, seasonal workers and 120 staffers deputed from India and deployed at the mission and its branches.



A total of 546 personnel have been deputed from India for this year’s Haj. They include six coordinators, 54 assistant Haj officers, 191 Haj assistants and 295 medical workers.



Abdul Salam, who hails from Samasthipur in Bihar, said the mission functions like a “well-oiled machine” in extending the best possible services to the pilgrims.



A total of 434 buildings have been rented out, including 194 in Makkah and 240 in Aziziyah.



The majority of the pilgrims — 78,799 — are staying in Aziziyah.



The 12-story Haj Mission building consists of 11 offices dealing with pilgrims’ affairs, he said.



As of Thursday, 20 Indian pilgrims died in Makkah and Madinah. Most of them died of natural causes while a pilgrim from Jammu and Kashmir was killed in an accident in Makkah, said Dr. Muhammad Abid Ajmer, the doctor in charge of the India's medical mission for Haj.



He said there is a 50-bed hospital in Makkah and a 30-bed hospital in Aziziyah, in addition to 13 branch dispensaries in Makkah to provide medical services to the pilgrims.



There are five branch dispensaries, including a 10-bed main dispensary in Madinah.



India’s medical mission is comprised of 145 doctors and 150 paramedical staff, including 37 female doctors and 62 women paramedics.



“Consignments containing 400 medicines and weighing 35-40 tons have been brought from India. A major portion of these medicines are meant for treating chronic diseases. Outpatient Departments (OPDs) at the main hospital and branch clinics work on a round-the-clock basis,” he said, adding that pilgrims who came by private groups can also take advantage of the clinics.



As of Thursday, more than 49,000 pilgrims approached these clinics. A number of patients at the 50-bed hospital told Saudi Gazette that they were satisfied with the medical care and treatment received at the hospital.



Dr. Jaafar Ahmed Tadwi, an orthopedic surgeon from Mumbai, is the medical officer in charge of the hospital.



Tadwi said 19 patients were admitted to the hospital. Two serious cases were referred to Al-Noor Specialist Hospital.



The hospital has been equipped with all necessary facilities, including radiology and sonography units and a room for surgical procedures.



There are nine specialist doctors at the hospital, in addition to 24 paramedic staff.



The hospital started functioning on a round-the-clock basis on Sept. 1 and it will continue working until the last pilgrims depart.



Cases from the branch clinics are also referred to the hospital.



Most of the reported cases are diabetic patients because they stopped their regular medication for various reasons.



There are 16 ambulances on the mission. On Arafat Day, all pilgrims admitted to the hospital will be transported to Arafat, Tadwi said.



A.B. Abbas Kasarkode, who has been serving as the official in charge of transport for about nine years at the mission, said there are 23 vehicles, including cars and three buses at the mission, which are engaged in offering various types of transportation services to the pilgrims.



About 30 buses are used in the 24-hour shuttle service between the Haram and Aziziyah. The number of buses will be increased with the arrival of more pilgrims.



There are a total of 70 drivers who have been hired by the mission, Abbas added.