post news network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 23: The second phase of state sponsored ‘Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana’ was flagged off the railway station here Friday. As many as 1000 pilgrims from 10 districts were selected and sent on a holy expedition to Varanasi and Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.
The senior citizens on pilgrimage are expected to return September 28 after a brief six day tour. Pilgrims were selected from the districts of Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Jajpur.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who flagged off the train carrying the pilgrims, wished them luck. The train with 15 coaches has two escorts in each. Vehicles have also been arranged that would take the pilgrims to different destinations in these two cities.
“In the upcoming third phase, the pilgrims from western Orissa will be given an opportunity. But, its date is yet to be decided,” said Ashok Panda, Minister of State, Tourism and Culture.
“It’s a good initiative by government of helping senior citizens to go on a pilgrimage. We feel safe as we are being sponsored,” said Chandra Mishra (65), who is one of the pilgrims.
Pilgrim Kanucharan Devata (62) from Khurda said, “I’m very happy that I will be visiting the holy city of Allahabad and Varanasi. I’m poor and can’t afford to go there on my own.”
The tour was being organised by the state owned Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) in association with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The state government had sent another group of 1,000 pilgrims from the southern districts of the state last July on pilgrimage to south India.