Tirupati, Shirdi added to pilgrimage circuit, says Delhi CM
The CM said that in addition to three tier AC train, the government is also considering AC accommodation for the pilgrims where ever possible.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the Delhi government will add seven more routes to its fully-funded pilgrimage tour, taking the total number of routes to 12.
The new routes will include Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Jagannath Puri (Odisha) and Shirdi (Maharashtra). The government has not announced the dates for flagging off the new routes.
The CM said that in addition to three tier AC train, the government is also considering AC accommodation for the pilgrims where ever possible. “Further, AC buses will be provided to the pilgrims wherever possible. Apart from the area MLA, any of the ministers in the Delhi Government and chairman of the Tirth Yatra Vikas Samiti will now be able to issue certificates for the pilgrims irrespective of the constituency in which the applicant resides,” he said Tuesday.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister earlier. The seven new routes approved on Tuesday are – Delhi-Rameshwaram-Madurai-Delhi (8 days), Delhi-Tirupathi-Delhi (7 days), Delhi-Dwarkadhish-Nageswar-Delhi (6 days), Delhi-Jagannath Puri-Konark-Bhubaneshwar-Delhi (7 days), Delhi-Shirdi-Shani Shinglapur- Delhi (5 days), Delhi-Ujjain-Onkareshwar-Delhi (6 dyas), and Delhi-Bodh Gaya-Sarnath, the number of days of which is yet to be decided. Kejriwal said the revenue department tabled the proposal after the government received “numerous” suggestions from interested people to expand the free-pilgrimage scheme.
At present, the scheme, launched on July 12, includes five corridors. The Cabinet also approved that in the existing Ajmer-Pushkar tour, Haldi Ghati destination will be added.