Mecca Bus Mishap: Why is it a Hit to the Age-old Spiritual and Hospitality Thread

At least 45 Indian travellers were killed in a bus accident on 17 November while they were en route to Medina after spending a week in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reportedly, while there is no clarity over whether the tanker hit the vehicle while it was moving or was stationary, one of the 46 travellers on the bus is said to have escaped.

Of those killed, 18 people belonged to Hyderabad. The Telangana Cabinet has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the victims’ families. Reportedly, it has also been decided that the deceased will be laid to rest in Saudi Arabia in accordance with their religious customs, and that the government will make arrangements for two family members from each bereaved family to travel to Saudi Arabia for the last rites.

According to official sources, cited by various reports, a total of 54 individuals travelled from Hyderabad to Jeddah on November 9.

In light of the accident, a 24x7 Control Room has been set up at the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, with the toll-free number for contacting the Control Room being 8002440003.

The age-old cultural fabric

The tragic loss of lives in this incident is particularly heartbreaking, as the pilgrims — belonging to the Islamic faith — believe that these journeys hold deep spiritual significance and offer fulfilment as they seek forgiveness for their sins through Umrah.

In Islam, travelling to Mecca and Medina, primarily to fulfil the pillar of Hajj and to undertake the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, home to the Kaaba, holds profound meaning for the community.

The significance of Medina lies in the fact that it is regarded as the second-holiest city and is the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire journey to Mecca and Medina, especially for Indian pilgrims, is considered sacred. Stories capturing this longing are found not only in Muslim households but also in fictional works across various Indian languages, the most recent being Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp.

One such traveller, Shahid Qureshi, who is there for Umrah with his family, spoke to us from Saudi Arabia and described the experience as involving a different level of enthusiasm. “Even with lakhs of visitors coming daily to a single mosque, belonging to different languages and age groups, everyone has to wear the same unstitched clothes to visit Makkah — even the King of Saudi Arabia," the Mumbai-based Qureshi, who works for the Tata Consultancy Services, says. 

Speaking about the culture, Sajin Nawshad from Akbar Travels says, “India’s diversity also reflects in our groups, and we see travellers finding comfort in shared languages, customs, and the warmth of being surrounded by people who understand their cultural rhythm. We often say that on this journey, everyone begins as strangers, but they return as one family.”

“For Indian travellers, the pilgrimage to Mecca is deeply rooted in culture, memory, and generational tradition. Many grow up hearing stories of their parents and grandparents performing Umrah and Hajj, so the journey carries a strong emotional and spiritual weight,” says Sayeed Patel, Director of Atlas Tours & Travels, which has been taking pilgrims to Mecca for more than four decades.

He adds, “What is especially meaningful for us as a travel agent is that we now see third-generation travellers coming with Atlas — grandparents who once travelled with us, whose children later performed Umrah under our guidance, and today their grandchildren embark on the same journey with our teams. Indian families place immense value on travelling together, caring for elders, and preserving the cultural rituals surrounding the pilgrimage. This influences everything: from how they prepare for the journey to the kind of service and guidance they expect on the ground.”

What does the economy look like?

Talking of the preparation, with an intention to go for Hajj, at least, once in a lifetime for many families, requires a lot of financial planning as well. As per a report from this year,  the total cost for a single pilgrim can range from approximately Rs. 10 lakh for budget-friendly options to even higher amounts depending on the tour package. It has also been reported that this expenditure drives a large sector of the travel and hospitality industry in India. 

On the other hand, some pilgrims even opt for Umrah instead of Hajj to save money since the cost for Umrah is comparatively lower, costing around Rs. 70,000 for basic budget packages to Rs. 3,50,000 or more for luxury options.

"Our 14-day group Umrah packages start from Rs. 75,000, including flights, accommodation, ground arrangements, guided Umrah, and the kits we provide to every pilgrim," says Mumbai-based Sajin Nawshad, the director of Akbar Travels of India. which has been running for the last five decades with 250 offices currently present in 16 countries.

While Hajj is a mandatory, major pilgrimage to Mecca which is performed annually during a specific week in the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, Umrah is usually shorter, voluntary and has even been called "lesser pilgrimage" that can be performed at any time of the year. 

Reports mention that Saudi Arabia’s annual Hajj pilgrimage quota for India has witnessed an increase over the years, with 1,36,020 in 2014 to 1,75,025 in 2025.

In India, the Hajj Committee is the government body under the Ministry of Minority Affairs that manages a portion of the pilgrims and works with the Saudi authorities on logistical arrangements. The country’s allotted quota for this year stands at 1,22,518 for Hajj 2025.

The committee of India announces for Hajj through leading newspapers all over the country and invites applications from the intending pilgrims. The announcement, as per their website, contains the details of the initial amount to be deposited along with the Hajj application form, the categories of accommodation at Makkah Mukarrama, the last date for submission of the Hajj Application to the State Hajj Committee and more.

"Now everything related to travel is online, including visa, hotel booking, and if you are going on tour, you just have to pay the amount of the package, and everything is done," affirms Qureshi.

However, Shadab Khan Yousufzai, an Aurangabad native now working in Riyadh KSA with Schneider Electric, who recently went for the Hajj has a different experience. "A few years ago, the entire ritual could be completed in 1–2 hours. However, with the ease of visa processes and the surge in visitors, the experience has changed significantly. Today, it often takes 3–4 hours or more to complete the rituals due to crowd. This also raise a lot of concerns about safe travel between destinations," he says, though, adding that despite these challenges, "the emotional and spiritual anticipation makes every moment worthwhile".

As far as transportation is concerned, the ship voyage was discontinued in 1995, and, now, all the Hajj pilgrims are transported to Saudi Arabia and back by air only through Air India and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Apart from that, there are multiple private tour operators in India offering tour services to travellers. Being one of the first to introduce daily Umrah departures, Atlas Tours & Travels evolved with time to be available both online and for offline guidance. As per Mr. Patel, they operate through more than 75 booking centres and franchise partners across India, and “experienced Umrah coordinators”.

“In terms of pricing, costs depend on seasonality, airline choice, and hotel proximity in Makkah and Madinah (the Arabic spellings for Mecca and Medina, which are mostly used for the English language),” he says, adding that the company offers a structured range of value, premium, and luxury packages.

"We understand the needs of each traveller, from families to senior citizens, and we organise groups accordingly to ensure comfort and convenience. Operationally, we have strong contracting relationships with hotels within 500 metres of the Haram, making it easier, especially for our senior passengers. We also run a large, industrial-scale kitchen that caters to diverse Indian palates, providing that sense of familiarity and comfort travellers appreciate," Mr. Naushand says, who is catering to the global Umrah market, along with the Indian pilgrims.

What’s been done for safety?

While the Telangana government has announced the ex gratia amount, when it comes to safety and precautions, Mr. Patel mentions that every traveller is automatically covered by Saudi Arabia’s mandatory travel and medical insurance that comes with the Umrah or Hajj visa, offering protection for emergencies, hospitalisation, and unforeseen travel disruptions.

Beyond that, Atlas, however, maintains a robust on-ground support system as the director says that each group is accompanied by trained tour managers at various stages of the journey. “We maintain a team of more than 50 staff members permanently stationed across Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah. Their responsibility is to ensure smooth check-ins, coordinate transport, assist the elderly, and handle any emergencies around the clock.”

While the above-mentioned company works with the Saudi Tourism and claims to only work with “verified hotels, licensed transport companies, and approved service providers”, incidents like the recent one are beyond any safety measures, as far as the tour operators from India are concerned.

For Akbar Travels, along with comprehensive travel insurance options, maintaining a safety process includes trained teams to support travellers of all ages, and the on-ground staff in Saudi Arabia who coordinate closely with the Indian offices. "Insurance products today are far more dynamic than before, and we help customers choose plans that specifically match their health, travel, and coverage needs," says Mr. Naushad.

At the Hajj House in Hyderabad’s Nampally, a family lost 18 members in total in the crash, and relatives reportedly mentioned how the family had been looking forward to the pilgrimage for weeks and had talked about it with quite excitement, whose journey, unlike planned, met a different and fatal end.

Tragically, as per Jami at-Tirmidhi 3917 (Book 49, Hadith 317) #29579 'The Benefits of Dying in Al-Madinah', which Mr. Qureshi cites, while paying condolences to the lives lost, he recalls how it is considered "lucky to naturally die" in Medina. But on the accident, he, who is also currently there with his family, says, "It's a big loss for all the families who lost their loved ones. May Allah grant them patience."

While the hospitality and tourism industry has seen growth with the Indian pilgrims' visit to Mecca-Medina, it remains to be seen if the recent accident makes the authorities take some preventive measures to avoid such mishaps, so that such journeys can be taken without worries and fears, and the age-old cultural fabric remains intact.