The 85th train under the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Scheme of the Delhi government left for Rameswaram with 780 elderly pilgrims from Safdarjung railway station here on Saturday.
Ahead of the journey, a devotional evening was organized at Thyagaraj Stadium for all pilgrims. Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi interacted with the pilgrims, and distributed journey tickets and kits to them on the occasion.
In her address, Atishi said, “I would like to express my gratitude to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on behalf of all elderly residents of Delhi, who regard all elderly citizens of Delhi as his own parents. He plays the role of a son, organizing pilgrimage trips for the elderly in Delhi.”
Asserting that Kejriwal is no less than Shravan Kumar for the elderly in Delhi, the minister said he has so far sent over 81,000 elderly individuals on pilgrimage through 84 trains.
He has pledged that regardless of any challenges, he will not allow the pilgrimage initiative for the elderly in Delhi to stop and will ensure that every elderly resident of Delhi gets the opportunity for a pilgrimage, she said.
Atishi further said, “Under this scheme, the Kejriwal government sends travelers by AC trains, books AC hotels for them, arranges for timely meals, and ensures that there are no situations where the elderly face any issues during their journey. A team from the Delhi government will also travel with them to ensure that all the facilities are provided to elderly pilgrims from time to time.”
Under the CM Teerth Yatra Scheme, the Delhi government has been organizing pilgrimages for its elderly citizens to various pilgrimage sites across the country for the past two to three years.
The scheme facilitates journeys for senior citizens to Rameshwaram, Dwarkadhish, Somnath, Nageshwar, Jagannath Puri, Baba Mahakal in Ujjain, Shirdi Sai Baba, Tirupati Balaji, Ayodhya, Mata Vaishno Devi, Pushkar, Fatehpur Sikri, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Kartarpur Sahib, Mathura-Vrindavan, and Haridwar.
To participate in these pilgrimages, pilgrims apply through an online portal. The government arranges convenient train services, and transportation from home to the station, and back. They also provide accommodation, meals, and kits containing essentials for each pilgrim’s comfort and convenience during the journey.