India

No Restrictions On Number Of Hajj Pilgrims This Year: Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: Breaking a three-year rule of restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia on Monday announced there will be no limit on the number of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj.

The kingdom also scrapped the age limit of 18 to 65 for vaccinated pilgrims that was imposed due to the pandemic. “The number of pilgrims will return to what it was before the pandemic, without any age limit,” Umrah Tawfiq al-Rabiah, minister of Hajj was quoted as saying by AFP.

This year’s Hajj pilgrimage is scheduled to begin in June. Last year, the kingdom opened its gates for nearly one million people with foreign visitors being allowed for the first time in two years. In the end, over 900,000 pilgrims, including some 780,000 from abroad visited the holy sites of Mecca and Medina for the pilgrimage.

Last year in October, the Saudi authorities, took another progressive step and announced that a woman pilgrim no longer needed to be accompanied by a male guardian or ‘mahram’ to perform Hajj.

Additionally, local reports have stated that the ministry will give priority to those during the registration who have not made the pilgrimage before.

OB Bureau
Share
Published by
OB Bureau

Recent Posts

Odisha Govt Fast-Tracks Steps For Early Operationalisation Of Talcher & Phulbani Medical Colleges

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government decisive steps toward the early operationalisation of two crucial medical colleges… Read More

27 minutes ago

Ahead Of Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma & Teammates Can’t Recall India’s T20 World Cup Triumph! [Watch]

Mumbai: The date -- June 29, 2024. The venue – Kensington Oval, Bridgetown (Barbados). The occasion… Read More

32 minutes ago

Stepdaughter Esha Calls Rupali Ganguly ‘Evil’ For Scheduling Court Hearing On Her Birthday

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing legal feud with stepdaughter Esha Verma, ‘Anupamaa’ actress Rupali Ganguly recently… Read More

58 minutes ago

35 Injured As Bus Carrying Maha Kumbh Pilgrims From Odisha Meets With Accident

Bhubaneswar: At least 35 pilgrims from Odisha’s Balasore sustained injuries as the bus in which… Read More

1 hour ago

Senior Cop Suspended After Sexual Harassment Charge By Female Constables Amid Rising Assault Cases In Tamil Nadu

Chennai: A senior Chennai police officer, serving as Joint Commissioner, has been suspended after two… Read More

1 hour ago

Kamal Haasan Set For Rajya Sabha As DMK Keeps Its Word

Chennai: Eminent actor Kamal Haasan is set to become a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament… Read More

2 hours ago