Goa Haj Committee Chairman Urfan Mullah announcing the Haj pilgrimage starting from Goa this week.
MARGAO
A group of 90 Haj pilgrims from Goa will head to Mumbai in sleeper coaches before taking a flight to Saudi Arabia on May 14 as part of the arrangements made by the Goa government.
The second batch of pilgrims is expected to leave for Mumbai later this week from the SGPDA grounds, Margao, where both Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP State President Damu Naik will flag off the Haj pilgrimage.
Addressing the media, Goa Haj Committee Chairman Urfan Mulla said the sleeper coaches will transport the pilgrims from the AIM School complex, Rumdamol, to the Haj House in Mumbai. “Last time around, the Haj pilgrims embarked on a train journey, but they had to face hardships in Mumbai. This time, the Goa government has arranged sleeper coaches in order to tide over the difficulties in Mumbai,” he said.
Mulla, however, said the Haj pilgrims will return home to Goa by train.
The Haj Committee Chairman made a fervent appeal to the pilgrims to avail themselves of the facilities provided by the government to undertake the Haj pilgrimage. “The cost of undertaking the pilgrimage through private operators is more than what is being offered by the government. Hence, people should avail themselves of the government facilities for a cheap and safe pilgrimage,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mulla complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Nabin and Home Minister Amit Shah for the party’s big success in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. He also congratulated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, BJP State President Damu Naik, Minister Shripad Naik and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade, who had campaigned in these states in the recently held elections.
