Odisha: Special pilgrimage train for elderly flagged off from Bhubaneswar
Nov 23, 2023
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], November 23 : Odisha Tourism and Culture Minister Aswini Patra, along with Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda, flagged off a special pilgrimage train for the elderly on Thursday.
The train started its journey in Bhubaneswar and will go to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The Odisha government wished the elderly pilgrims a happy and safe journey.
The pilgrimage train is part of an initiative of the state tourism department under the Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana to help elderly people carry out their spiritual journey in places of religious importance.
As many as 970 elderly pilgrims from five districts, including Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsingpur, and Dhenkanal, boarded the train from here.
The Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana (BNTYY) is a programme in Odisha that helps senior citizens (60-75 years old) travel to pilgrimage sites with government assistance. The programme is open to people of all regions and faiths.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu flagged off three new trains, which include the Shalimar-Badampahar Weekly Express, the Badampahar-Rourkela Weekly Express, and the Tatanagar-Badampahar MEMU train.
Along with the President, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other railway officials were present at the ceremony.
President Murmu also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Badampahar Railway Station on Tuesday.
