Iran-Israel war spiked Hajj fares: Union minister Rijiju

New Delhi: The Centre has moved to contain a sharp rise in Hajj travel costs following pressure from airlines citing global geopolitical tensions, even as questions emerge over affordability for pilgrims.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said airlines had initially sought a steep increase of $400 in fares, pointing to factors such as the Iran-Israel conflict. However, government intervention led to a significant rollback in the proposed hike.

After negotiations, the fare increase for pilgrims travelling through the Hajj Committee has been brought down to $100, while those opting for private tour operators will face a revised hike of $150. The government has prioritised ensuring that economically weaker pilgrims are not priced out of undertaking the pilgrimage.

The minister also addressed concerns over reported deaths of pilgrims during the pilgrimage, clarifying that of the six reported fatalities, three occurred due to cardiac arrest even before immigration procedures were completed. He indicated that there had been no negligence on the part of the authorities in these cases.

Officials further stated that the Indian mission in Saudi Arabia continues to coordinate with local authorities to maintain facilities and support systems for pilgrims, as scrutiny grows over both costs and safety in this year’s Hajj operations.