Delhi Govt's Free Pilgrimage Scheme: First Train To Leave For Ayodhya On December 3, Says Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced that Velankanni Church in Chennai had been added to the list under the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana'.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal | File Image

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the first train to Ayodhya under the government's free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens would leave on December 3. The registrations for the pilgrimage have started after the scheme was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last month, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the inclusion of Ayodhya in the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana'. More than 35,000 senior citizens have availed the scheme, PTI reported.

"Under the free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens of Delhi, we will send 1,000 people to Ayodhya to have a darshan of Shri Ram Lalla. Our first train for Ayodhya will be leaving on December 3," PTI quoted Arvind Kejriwal as saying.

Under the free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens of Delhi, we are sending them to Ayodhya to have a darshan of Shri Ram Lalla. Our first train for Ayodhya will be leaving on 3rd December, registrations have started: Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/SfWwcciUPL

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2021

The Chief Minister also announced that Velankanni Church in Chennai was added to the list under this scheme. "We have also added Velankanni Church in Tamil Nadu to the list of pilgrimage sites covered under this free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens of Delhi," said Kejriwal. 

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana', any resident of the national capital aged 60 or above can visit 13 pilgrimage sites across the country for free, including places like Puri, Rameswaram, Shirdi, Mathura, Haridwar and Tirupati.

The Delhi government bears the expenditure of the entire pilgrimage. One attendant aged 21 or more can accompany each senior traveller.

Last week, Arvind Kejriwal announced in Haridwar that the Aam Aadmi Party, if elected to power, would start a free ‘Tirth Yatra Yojana’ in the state. "We'll facilitate free 'darshan' of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. For Muslims, we'll have the provision of visiting Ajmer Sharif and for Sikhs to Kartarpur Sahib. It'll be free," Kejriwal said.