'Second year in a row': Hajj applications from Jammu Kashmir witness steep decline

August 2, 2025 by News Desk

For the second consecutive year, Jammu Kashmir has witnessed a steep decline in the number of Hajj applicants.

As of July 24, only 2,244 applications were received against a total quota of 7,896 seats for the region, meaning that just around 28 per cent of the available slots have been filled.

The low turnout reflects deepening financial constraints and changing priorities among residents who once saw the pilgrimage as a reachable goal.

In comparison, during the 2024 Hajj season, 2,922 pilgrims against the 8,000 seats allotted that year. An additional 750 seats had been reserved for private tour operators, though only an estimated 550 of those were utilized, bringing the total number of pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir in 2024 to just under 3,500.

The drop this year has been even sharper, despite repeated appeals from officials and an extended deadline now set for August 7.

The decline has been particularly severe in rural and economically weaker districts. While areas like Samba, Pulwama, and Srinagar showed relatively better application rates, many other districts, including Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipora, and Rajouri, recorded less than 30 per cent of their allotted seats being filled.

Experts attribute the trend to inflation, the discontinuation of the Saudi subsidy, and a broader sense that Hajj is slipping out of reach for the lower-income families.

The cost of performing Hajj from Srinagar has surged to nearly ₹4.2 lakh per person, while those opting to travel from Delhi pay around ₹3.6 lakh.

The removal of the 2,100 Riyal subsidy that was earlier covered by the Indian government has only added to the burden. For many households already struggling with basic expenses, the pilgrimage is increasingly seen as a luxury.

Shabir Ahmad Dar, who runs a travel company in Srinagar, said even private tour operators are now struggling to fill their quotas. “Earlier, we had waiting lists. Now we are making calls, trying to convince people,” he said.

Out of the total 7,896 seats allotted to the region this year, 750 were reserved for private Haj Group Organisers. Though official figures are not yet available, travel operators say a significant portion of these remain unfilled due to high package rates that sometimes exceed ₹6 to 7 lakh.

These packages are now mostly limited to families with substantial financial backing or support from relatives abroad.

Ghulam Rasool, a 58-year-old retired schoolteacher from Anantnag who performed Hajj in 2024, recalled the strain it placed on his finances. “I saved for four years. In the end, I had to borrow from my relatives and a local credit group. Even then, I wasn’t sure I’d make it,” he said.

His story echoes that of many others who have either withdrawn their applications or not applied at all this year.

While procedural delays and logistical issues have contributed, both applicants and officials agree that the primary obstacle is economic.

For many in Jammu Kashmir, the spiritual journey of Hajj is no longer a matter of faith alone, it is now a question of affordability.