Punjab expands pilgrimage scheme, 15 buses ferry elderly pilgrims to religious destinations

Punjab has enhanced its Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojna, launching 15 AC sleeper buses to take elderly devotees to significant religious sites.

Punjab has expanded its Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojna, with 15 buses carrying elderly pilgrims from five districts to Salasar Balaji, Shri Khatu Shyam, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Mathura-Vrindavan. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann flagged off the buses in Hoshiarpur on Wednesday and reviewed arrangements.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann addresses a press conference in Chandigarh.

Kejriwal said more than four lakh pilgrims had travelled under the scheme. People aged 50 years and above can undertake the pilgrimage, with up to two members from a family eligible to travel. The government will provide AC sleeper bus travel, accommodation and food free of cost.

“People do not need to spend anything. The Bhagwant Mann Government will bear all the expenses for travel, stay and food,” Kejriwal said, adding that good hotels and local transport had been arranged for pilgrims.

He said 15 buses were travelling to Haridwar-Rishikesh, Mathura-Vrindavan and Salasar-Shri Khatu Shyam, with 1.5 lakh people from Punjab expected to visit different pilgrimage destinations in the coming months.

Mann said 10 buses from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar and Kapurthala would travel to Rishikesh-Haridwar. Two buses from Phagwara and Gurdaspur would go to Mathura-Vrindavan, while three from Jalandhar and Gurdaspur would travel to Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar.

Mann also said four lakh pilgrims had visited Sri Amritsar Sahib and Sri Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi during the first phase. The government has spent ₹148 crore on the pilgrimage so far and set a target of taking 10 lakh pilgrims to religious destinations.