Wealthy Haj pilgrims are increasingly choosing luxury packages featuring five star hotels close to Haram Sharif, premium transport, upgraded tents in Mina and Arafat, and curated food services. Tour organisers say demand rose after actor Aamir Khan arranged special facilities for his mother’s Haj in 2011, sparking broader interest in comfort focused offerings.
Congress has demanded the withdrawal of a circular that raises Haj airfare by Rs 10,000 for pilgrims. The party alleges the Modi government has made the pilgrimage unaffordable for average Indian families. The Haj Committee of India attributed the one-time revision to rising global fuel prices, but Congress is urging immediate rollback and longer-term structural changes.
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Haj 2026 airfare will rise by about Rs 10,000 per pilgrim as global Aviation Turbine Fuel prices spike. The Haj Committee of India negotiated to keep the increase to roughly USD 100 per pilgrim, limiting the impact. Still, opposition leaders call the extra charge unjust, while the government says it protected pilgrims from a larger burden.
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