Karnal, March 20:- District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) Satyawan stated that the state government has launched the 'Haryana Chief Minister Pilgrimage Scheme' (Haryana Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana) to facilitate free travel to various pilgrimage sites for eligible elderly devotees. Under this scheme, senior citizens of Haryana aged 60 years and above—whose annual income is less than ?1.80 lakh—are provided with free travel to holy sites. The scheme covers pilgrimages from Haryana to Ayodhya, Varanasi, Patna Sahib, Nanded Sahib, Pushkar Ji, Vaishno Devi, as well as Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur. To avail the benefits of this scheme, eligible individuals may register for the pilgrimage on the official portal.
The DIPRO informed that, under this year's Haryana Chief Minister Pilgrimage Scheme, devotees will be sent from Ambala on March 26 via train to visit the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The journey will be flagged off by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from the Ambala Railway Station. According to the scheduled itinerary, after departing from Ambala, the train will make stops at Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, and Delhi, where devotees from neighboring districts will board the train.
He further explained that for this four-day pilgrimage to Ayodhya, the train will depart from Karnal district in the afternoon; consequently, devotees must reach the railway station on their own by 1:30 PM. A help desk will be set up at the railway station for the convenience of the passengers. It is at this location that the department will issue identity cards to the travelers.
He also advised that devotees traveling to Ayodhya should carry an adequate supply of medicines, clothing, blankets, and other essentials with them. The registration portal for pilgrims will be opened by the Haryana government on March 21 and 22. The scheme is open to residents of Haryana who are over 60 years of age and whose annual family income is up to ?1.80 lakh. Pilgrims who have registered anew during these two days must ensure that their names are included in the list by submitting their registration slip, two passport-sized photographs, and a photocopy of their Aadhaar card to the office of the District Information and Public Relations Officer (Room No. 19) at the Mini Secretariat by March 23, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
It is mandatory for companions accompanying elderly pilgrims to also register on the portal. These accompanying companions will be required to bear their own expenses. He further stated that in cases involving married couples over the age of 60, if either the husband or the wife is registered, both may undertake the pilgrimage together.
**Free Arrangements for Food, Refreshments, and Accommodation**
Each train will consist of 11 coaches: 10 coaches will be designated for the devotees, while one coach will be reserved for the service staff. During the journey, the Haryana Government will provide—free of cost—arrangements for food and refreshments for the devotees, transportation (such as buses) to ferry them from the nearest railway station to the pilgrimage site, and accommodation facilities.