The government on Friday announced that adequate preparations have been made for the Haj pilgrimage, with the first batch of Indian pilgrims scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia on April 18 from various embarkation points across the country.Addressing the inter-ministerial briefing, Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said a total of 1,75,025 pilgrims were expected to undertake the sacred journey this year. He added that all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure a smooth, safe and comfortable pilgrimage experience.He further stated that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah have been working in close coordination with the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Saudi authorities, including the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The mission posts are operationally ready to receive and assist Indian pilgrims upon their arrival.The Haj operations will be conducted through 17 embarkation points across the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Srinagar and others.The government has also ensured enhanced insurance coverage of around Rs 6,25,000 per pilgrim. Further, around 60,000 pilgrims shall avail the facility of high-speed train connectivity between Makkah and Madinah, ensuring faster, safer and more comfortable inter-city travel.Meanwhile, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday extended his best wishes to all pilgrims.