Srinagar, May 29: Hajj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir have expressed deep resentment after the J&K Hajj Committee announced that most luggage arriving from Ahmedabad to Srinagar would be transported separately by road due to operational restrictions linked to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen).
In a notification issued on Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee said Hajj flights carrying pilgrims from Saudi Arabia would begin arriving in Srinagar from June 2, 2026.
However, citing instructions regarding landing aircraft with heavy loads at Srinagar Airport, the Committee said pilgrims would travel by air from Ahmedabad to Srinagar while the bulk of their luggage would be sent separately by road.
The notification said immigration and customs clearance of all pilgrims would be completed in Ahmedabad before their departure for Srinagar.
Under the revised arrangement, each pilgrim will only be allowed to carry one hand baggage weighing up to seven kilograms and check-in baggage of five kilograms on the Ahmedabad-Srinagar flight.
Any additional luggage, up to a maximum of 30 kilograms per pilgrim, will be transported to Srinagar by road, the notification added.
Pilgrims travelling in the same cover group have also been advised to keep their check-in baggage together to facilitate easier transportation and handling. The Committee further directed that no single piece of luggage should weigh more than 22 kilograms.
According to the advisory, the road-transported baggage can later be collected from Hajj House Srinagar after arrival.
The decision, however, has triggered concern among many returning pilgrims and their families, who fear inconvenience, delays and possible damage to belongings during the long road journey from Ahmedabad to Srinagar.
Several pilgrims expressed worry that essential items brought from Saudi Arabia, particularly dates, Zamzam water containers and other perishable goods, could be damaged or spoiled in transit.
Some pilgrims also voiced resentment over the additional hardship, alleging that despite paying among the highest Hajj package charges in the country, they were now being forced to face logistical inconvenience during the final leg of their journey home.
“We already undergo a long and tiring pilgrimage. After paying such high costs, we expected smoother arrangements for our return,” a pilgrim said.
The Hajj Committee has urged pilgrims to strictly follow the baggage guidelines to ensure smooth operations and avoid delays at Ahmedabad airport.
