Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off a pilgrimage train to Shirdi and Nashik under the Barishtha Nagrika Tirtha Yatra Yojana at Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Friday. This scheme, introduced by the State Government, aims to fulfill the spiritual and religious aspirations of economically disadvantaged senior citizens, including those below the poverty line.
On this occasion, 775 senior citizens from six districts—Khordha, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, and Dhenkanal—embarked on their journey to the famous pilgrimage destinations of Shirdi and Nashik in Maharashtra.
This year, arrangements have been made for pilgrimage tours for 8,000 senior citizens from Odisha to destinations such as Shirdi, Nashik, Dakshineswar Kali Temple (Kolkata), Kamakhya (Assam), Ayodhya, and Varanasi. These tours will be conducted in 10 phases, with the trains departing from Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rayagada, and Balasore railway stations in two phases.
To ensure a seamless experience, the government has provided transportation facilities for all pilgrims from their villages to the railway station. Comprehensive arrangements have also been made for accommodation, transportation to the pilgrimage sites, and meals.
In addition to this initiative, the state government has recently arranged four state-of-the-art buses for the world-famous Mahakumbh Mela.
Furthermore, seven special trains have been deployed from Odisha for this significant event, reflecting the government’s commitment to honoring the spiritual and religious sentiments of its citizens.
