No. of Registered Pilgrims: 63,585 + 31,534 Indians on  International Passports largely through Haj Tour Operators.

Haj Air Charter: 176 flights from Delhi, Mumbai,Calcutta, Chennai and Bangalore

Period of Outgoing Flights: 27 Feb. - 31 March, 1998.

Period of Incoming Flights: (174 flights) 12 April-13 May, 1998

Average period of stay: 43 days

Average expenditure: IRs. 65,000/-

Age/Gender: 40% above 60 years; nearly 60% males

Haj Frequency: 96% performing Haj for the first time.

Physical Fitness: Many physically unfit.

Literacy: Many unable to read or write; Some speaking only Mother Tongue.

Urban/Rural: Many from rural areas; travelling out of India for the first time; travelling by air for the first time.

Knowledge of Religious Rites and Living Conditions during Haj: Vast majority had no knowledge about the rites of Ahram, Umrah and Haj. Majority neither taught about Haj rites nor oriented before departure about local conditions in Saudi Arabia or briefed about safety measures/ emergencies.

Haj Staff Permanently based in Jeddah: 18 Computer Operators, 205 Clerks, 29 Drivers and 56 Messengers.

Additional India-based Staff deputed for Haj: 53 Asstt. Haj Officers, 122 Haj Assistants, 102 Doctors, 12 Para- medical staff,88 Khuddamul Hujjaj from 13 State Haj Committees.

Haj Goodwill Delegation: 28 Members with 29 dependents.

Expenditure on Delegation: Over IRs. 2 crores.

Haj Welfare Organisation - CGI, Jeddah: a) Haj Terminal Office; b) Haj Section, CGI; c) 1) Haj Office, Makka, with 9 Branch Offices, Pilgrims Information Centre,Lost Baggage Cell, Madina Movement Cell, Complaint Cell, Building Visiting Teams. 2) Main Dispensary with 10- bed Hospital, 9 Branch Dispensaries, Pathological Lab:, Mobile MedicalTeam, Ambulance Service; d) 1) Haj Office Madina with 3 Branch Offices, Pilgrim Information Centre, Makka Airport Movement Cell. 2) Main Dispensary with 3 Branch Dispensaries,Ambulance Service; e) Haj Camp in Muna and Airport Arrival and Departure, Monitoring Cell, Medical Mission Pilgrims Camps Inspection Teams, Information and Guidance Centre, Mobile Teams and Emergency Relief.

Accommodation: Permissible space 2.5 sq.mt./pilgrim. Makka: 1) Category I: (Within 600 mts. of Haram Sharif - old buildings or now with life facilities) - S.R.1800 - 104 buildings. Total capacity: 26,612 2) Category II: Old buildings within 1000 mts upto 800 - SR 1235; 800 - 850 - SR 1085 and 850 – 1000 - SR 1000 484 buildings: Total capacity 33,617

Madina (10 days stay): 60,000 units at S.R. 200 per pilgrims. 30% within the Ring Road; 25% facing the Ring Road and 45 located within 800 mts. of Haram-e-Nabwi.

Muna: Out of 20 camps, 11 of new fireproof type and 9 of the old type.

Moallims: 20 Moallims assigned by Saudi Arabian authorities.

Incidents: 6 per cent of total no. of pilgrims affected by theft, loss of baggage or accident.

Casualties -Death by natural cases: 137 (Regd. pilgrims) + 52 unregistered = 189

Death in Stampede (Makka): 22 + 10 = 32

Community Support: Indian Pilgrims Welfare Forum rendered assistance to pilgrims in distress.

1) Distributed SR 30,000 to 60 pilgrims who were victims of pickpocketing.

2 )Donated 2 wheel chairs to disabled pilgrims.

3)Donated a Computer for Pilgrim Information Centre, Makka.

4) Distributed to pilgrims medicines collected from Indian doctors in Makka.

5) Extended general assistance to pilgrims and cooperation to the CGI and Haj Staff.

Survey:

1) Departure arrangements in India - 94% satisfied.

2) Haj arrangements at Air Terminal, Makka and Madina - 86, 84 and 84% satisfied.

3) Haj arrangement by Moallims at Muna, Muzdalifa and Arafat - 20-25% Poor

4) Moallims and Staff - 52-50% non-cooperative.

5) Haj Staff - 85% cooperative

6) Medical Staff - 87% cooperative

Main Problems Faced by Pilgrims:

1) Lack of Haj Education and Orientation.

2)Delay in Transmission of Haj Data by the Haj Committee to CGI, Jeddah

3) Inclusion of more than 6 pilgrims under one cover number.

4) Delay in Announcement of Flight Schedules and Transmission of flight configuration to CGI, Jeddah.

5) Delay in Encashment of Bank Drafts at Airport.

6) Loss of Baggage due to Non-marking.

7)Supply of fragile metallic bonds to pilgrims and Non-supply to some.

8) Late Hiring of Accommodation at Makka and late finalisation of Accommodation list for each building.

9) Deputation of unwieldy Haj Goodwill Delegation.

10) Mismanagement of Return Charter Flights by Air India.

11) Carriage of Excess Baggage by Pilgrims on return flights

12) Non-cooperation of Haj Tour Operators.

13) Poor Performance of Khuddamul Hujjaj.

(Extracts from CGI's Report on Haj, 1998)