KOLKATA: The first batch of 365 Haj pilgrims to Mecca-Medina flew out of Kolkata on Friday after a gap of two years due to the pandemic.
State ministers Firhad Hakim and Siddikulla Chowdhry, and state Haj committee chairperson Nadimul Haq flagged off the Saudi Airlines flight SV 5551. In all, 29 flights will be flying over 10,000 pilgrims till July 4. There will be two or three flights per day on an average, an airport official said.
Airport officials said while they were ready with all arrangements from their end, there was a delay in arrival of some of the pilgrims. As a result, the flight was delayed by some hours and flew out in the afternoon.
