Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday flagged off a special pilgrimage train from here to Ajmer and Pushkar in Rajasthan as part of the State government’s ‘Baristha Nagarik Tirthayatra Yojana.
The train left Bhubaneswar’s platform No. 1 at around 12.45 p.m.
In his video message, the CM wished all pilgrims to have a divine experience. “In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, the pilgrimage was halted for more than two years and it has been resumed again. We have made arrangements for a total of 7,000 senior citizen pilgrims this year,” Patnaik said.
Shortlisted pilgrims from Khordha, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, and Dhenkanal districts will be eligible for the benefits in FY 2022-23, according to an I&PR Department press release.
As a result, approximately seven trains will run to and from various religious sites under this scheme. The pilgrims will be transported, lodged, fed, and cared for by the state government.
Notably, on April 9, all pilgrims will return to Bhubaneswar.
Source:SE