First haj flight with 144 pilgrims takes off

GAYA: The first flight carrying first batch of 144 Haj pilgrims took off from Gaya airport on Wednesday at 8 am for Jeddah.
Altogether 3,456 pilgrims from the state are scheduled to fly to Jeddah for Haj pilgrimage in 2023 from the Gaya airport. However, from Bihar, 5,638 pilgrims including 2,399 women will be going on Haj pilgrimage this year. Remaining pilgrims would take a flight from Kolkata.
The Haj flight will take off everyday till June 22.However, the take off time will vary each day. According to schedule, the take off time will be 10am on Thursday.
There will be two flights on June 17 and 18 and three flights on June 19, 20 and 21.
State minority welfare minister Mohd Zama Khan and information-technology minister and minister in-charge of Gaya Mohd Israil Mansoori, DM Thiyagarajan SM, SSP Ashish Bharti were present at the airport to see them off. Apart from the ministers, relatives of the pilgrims also wished ‘happy journey’ to them.