New measures for Hajj pilgrims

June 14, 2011

Mangalore, June 14: A slew of measures for Hajj pilgrims, including allowing a companion for those above 70 years of age, easier passport clearances and automatic inclusion of those applicants in the list who have been applying for three years, announced External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday.

Delivering his inaugural address at the annual Hajj conference in New Delhi, Krishna said, “As part of our efforts to continuously improve Hajj management, it has been decided to allocate confirmed seats to all the intending pilgrims over 70 years of age along with a companion, with effect from this year.”

An additional Hajj quota has also been sought from the Saudi Arabia government to accommodate the significant increase in the number of intending pilgrims.

“During my visit to Jeddah for the conclusion of the Bilateral Hajj Agreement with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 26, 2011, I personally handed over the request for additional seats to the Saudi Minister for Hajj,” Krishna said.

He also added that, “I am pleased to inform you that the Government has decided to give all the pilgrims selected by the Haj Committee of India passports with validity of eight months without police verification. Regional Passport offices have been advised to hold special passport adalats for the purpose.”

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Roadblock to Relief: Speaker Khader’s Push to Expand Key NH-66 Stretch from Nanthoor to Talapady

News Network

November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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