Srinagar, April 19 -- The number of pilgrims heading for Hajj from Jammu and Kashmir has seen a sharp decline in recent years, with official figures revealing a 70 per cent drop over the past two years compared to 2023.

Only 3,624 pilgrims from the region are set to embark on the sacred journey in 2025, down from 7,008 pilgrims who performed the pilgrimage last year.

Officials cite a combination of factors behind the decline, including the rising cost of travel after the removal of government subsidies, the absence of foreign airlines in this year's Hajj operations, and increasing concerns about extreme summer temperatures in Saudi Arabia.

In addition to the pilgrims from J&K, 242 individuals from Ladakh are also scheduled to travel fo...