Berhampur: A special pilgrim train carrying around 775 elderly people from five districts of southern Odisha left for Ayodhya and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from Berhampur railway station Friday, officials said.
The yatra has been organised under the state government’s Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana.
The pilgrims include 438 from Ganjam, 119 from Nayagarh, 55 from Boudh, 72 from Gajapati and 91 from Kandhamal districts. Twenty-five officials accompanied them, they said.
The train was flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida in presence of several officers, including Ganjam collector Keerthi Vassan V.
They wished the pilgrims an enjoyable, safe and happy journey.
After visiting temples and other religious places in these two cities, they will return in the same train to Berhampur September 24, officials said.
Under the scheme, the government has decided to conduct 10 trips from different stations, including Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rayagada and Balasore.
On September 10, a train carrying 775 elderly people went to Ayodhya and returned September 15
The next pilgrim train is scheduled to leave from Sambalpur station October 8, from Rayagada October 29, and from Balasore November 7, officials said.
Besides free food and lodging, the government has also engaged nodal officers, doctors and nurses to look after the elderly persons during their journey, they said.
PTI