By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,
Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Minister for Minorities Welfare, Haj & Wakfs Department Qamar-ul Islam said that the state government has discussed his department's proposal to set up Haj Ghars, in the four revenue sub-divisions in the state including the one coming up in Thirumenhalli near Yelahanka, Bangalore.
Mr. Islam, who spoke to reporters during his maiden visit to Mangalore district after assuming charge as minister, said that Haj pilgrims in the state need not come to Bangalore to embark on their Haj pilgrimage as the newly proposed centres will decentralise the process, making it convenient for the people. The idea is to setup such a facility for every region within a radius of about 250 km, at the rate of one for every five or six districts, he added.
Haj Ghars have been proposed at Mangalore, Hubli and Gulbarga and presently, Haj Ghars in Bangalore and Mangalore are under construction.
Haj Ghars will prove useful to pilgrims from neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala as well and his Ministry has approached these states to share the cost of building the centres in these cities Qamar-ul Islam said.
Haj Ghar at Bangalore is most likely to be completed around November this year and opened to the public in 2014.
It will have a prayer hall that will accommodate nearly 2,000 people and residential area with dining halls for men and women, it will have a basement with five floors consisting of a masjid adjacent to the main building, meeting rooms, committee office, rooms to screen documents and an auditorium among other facilities.
