Free Smartwatches for Haj Pilgrims in 2026, says State Haj Committee Chairperson Biabani


Hyderabad (Same Day): In a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at enhancing the safety and convenience of Haj pilgrims, the Union government has decided to provide free ‘Haj Suvidha’ smartwatches to all Indian pilgrims undertaking the Haj in 2026, State Haj Committee chairperson Syed Afzal Biyabani Khusro Pasha announced on Friday.

Addressing the media, Mr. Biabani said that nearly 1.25 lakh Indian pilgrims would benefit from the initiative, including around 10,000 pilgrims from the State. The smartwatches would be distributed to pilgrims in accordance with flight schedules ahead of the commencement of the Haj pilgrimage, which is expected to begin in May 2026.

He said the proposal to extend the facility to State pilgrims was brought to the notice of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, following which the Chief Minister wrote to the Centre requesting implementation. Accepting the proposal, the Union government decided to extend the facility to all Indian Haj pilgrims, he added.

The smartwatch will come with a pre-loaded SIM and 1 GB of data, valid for 60 days in Saudi Arabia, and will be linked to the ‘Haj Suvidha’ mobile application. The device is expected to be particularly useful for elderly pilgrims and those unfamiliar with smartphones.

Key features include real-time location tracking to help trace pilgrims who may get separated from their groups, emergency assistance through a dedicated alert button, and baggage tracking. Pilgrims will be able to scan QR codes attached to their luggage using the smartwatch to locate misplaced bags.

Mr. Biabani said pilgrims would travel in groups of 200, each led by a State Haj Inspector, who would have access to complete details of all members in the group, enabling quicker coordination and assistance when required.

He described the initiative as a significant step towards leveraging technology to ensure the safety, monitoring and overall well-being of pilgrims during the Haj.

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