New Delhi, February 09:
The Delhi government will resume its free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens from Monday, officials privy to the development said on Tuesday.
The scheme — Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana (CM Pilgrimage scheme) — was temporarily suspended from January 7 this year due to the Omicron-fuelled fifth wave of Covid-19 in the Capital.
On February 14, a train with the senior citizen beneficiaries will leave for Gujarat’s Dwarka, and on February 18, another train will leave for Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
“Now that the third wave has ebbed and Covid-19 cases are on a decline again, the free pilgrimage scheme is being resumed. We have received the necessary approvals from the railways and trains have been allotted,” said Kamal Bansal, chairman of the Tirth Yatra Vikas Samiti.
The Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana was launched by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on July 12, 2019. Under the scheme, the Delhi government offers free pilgrimage for senior citizens from the national capital. Facilities such as paramedical staff and attendants are also provided during the journey.
Among the pilgrimage sites coming under the scheme are Vaishno Devi, Shirdi, Rameswaram, Dwarka, Puri, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Vrindavan, and others.
Ahead of assembly elections in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Goa, Kejriwal had in October and November last year announced that the Delhi government will add free pilgrimage tours to Ayodhya in UP, Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan (a visa free corridor) for the Sikh community and Velankanni in Tamil Nadu for the Christians.
A total of 1,100 residents per assembly constituency can avail of this facility in a year, subject to a cap of total 77,000 pilgrims per year. Since its formal launch, 35,080 people have travelled under the scheme, according to the statement. Applications for the scheme can be submitted on the e-District portal of the Delhi government.
