KOLKATA: The first batch of 365 Haj pilgrims to Mecca - Medina flew out of Kolkata airport on Friday morning after a gap of two years owing to the pandemic.
State ministers Firhad Hakim and Sidddikulla Chowdhry and state haj committee chairperson Nadimul Haq were at the airport to flag off the Saudi Airlines flight SV 5551 and prayed for their best health and ease during the pilgrimage.
In all, 29 flights will be flying 10,000 plus pilgrims from the airport for the Haj pilgrimage 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 and as a result, the flight was delayed by some hours and flew out in the afternoon.
