India's government is close to re-starting a ferry service for pilgrims to reach Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
The union affairs ministry said the Saudi state has approved a revival of the route.
The run between Mumbai and Jeddah for Hajj was stopped in 1995.
"Sending pilgrims via ships will help cut down travel expenses significantly," an Indian government official said, according to the DNA website.
"It will be a revolutionary, pro-poor, pilgrim-friendly decision.
"Another advantage with ships available these days is that they are modern and well-equipped to ferry 4,000 to 5,000 persons at a time. They can cover the 2,300-odd nautical miles one-side distance between Mumbai and Jeddah within just 3-4 days. Earlier, the old ships used to take 12 to 15 days to cover this distance."
