Indore: 400 senior citizens set off for pilgrimage to Kashi, Ayodhya

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The first special train carrying 400 senior citizens for pilgrimage to Kashi and Ayodhya left the Indore railway station on Thursday.

Tourism and culture minister Usha Thakur, MLAs Ramesh Mendola and Akash Vijayvargiya flagged off the train. On this occasion, nodal officer of Yatra, Vijay Sharma, tehsildar HS Vishwakarma and other officials were present.

The minister and the two MLAs greeted the pilgrims who were very excited and were shouting slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and singing bhajans as the train started moving. The passengers expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. They said that the scheme is very important for us old people.

Govardhan Panwar, Shyamlal, residents of Badi Bhamauri, Ashok, resident of Anjani Nagar, Saheb Rao, resident of Ramnagar and Ashu Gaikwad said that for us this plan is no less than a boon. We had never imagined that we would be able to visit these pilgrimages, and today our dreams have come true. They added that they would have the fortune of seeing the newly constructed Kashi and Ayodhya.

About 2200 applications were received in the district for this scheme, out of which 400 elderly people were selected for this journey through lottery.

This special train will bring back the pilgrims on May 3 after visiting Ayodhya and Kashi. The entire cost of the pilgrimage is being borne by the state government.

Eight government servants have been sent to look after the passengers. Doctors and paramedical staff will also be on the train to look after the health of the elderly. Along with this, arrangements for lodging, food, tea-snacks and drinking water will also be made avaialble for the passengers.