V. Abdurahiman, Minister for Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, on Thursday visited Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia and Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Delhi and appraised them of the issues faced by Haj pilgrims in Kerala.
He requested them to restore the Haj embarkation point to the Calicut International Airport which is relied upon by 80% of Haj pilgrims in the State. If it was difficult to consider Calicut Airport as embarkation point this year, the Minister said that then the Kannur airport should be considered for the time being.
Mr. Abdurahiman requested Mr. Scindia to restore the operation of wide-bodied aircraft which had been suspended following the Air India Express crash in August last year.
He also put forth suggestions for the development of the Calicut airport and promised that the State Government would take steps to acquire the required 284 acres of land for its expansion.
The Union Ministers said that they would look into the issues raised by Mr. Abdurahiman.
