The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has informed Kerala that the ticket rates for Hajj pilgrims flying from Kozhikode have been slashed from Rs 1.65 lakh to Rs 1.23 lakh. In a letter to Kerala Minister for Wakf and Hajj Pilgrimage V Abdurahiman, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Smriti Irani shared the information that the Hajj air ticket rates from Kozhikode have been cut by Rs 42,000.
Earlier, the central minister had given an assurance to a delegation of Kerala parliamentarians that the Center was mulling a reduction of Rs 40,000.
The Hajj pilgrimage air ticket rates from other airports in Kerala such as Kochi and Kannur are between Rs 86,000 and Rs 89,000. Though the Centre has reduced the ticket rates from Kozhikode, the Hajj pilgrims travelling from Kozhikode airport have to shell out nearly Rs 34,000 more than those flying from Kochi and Kannur.