Odisha Tourism and Culture Minister Aswini Patra along with Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda flagged off a special pilgrim train for the elderly on Thursday.
The train started its journey from Bhubaneswar and will go to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The Odisha government wished the elderly pilgrims a happy and safe journey.
The pilgrim train is part of an initiative of the state tourism department under the Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana to help senior citizens carry out their spiritual journey at places of religious importance.
As many as 970 elderly pilgrims from five districts, including Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsingpur and Dhenkanal, boarded the train from here.
The Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana (BNTYY) is a program in Odisha that helps senior citizens (60-75 years old) travel to pilgrimage sites with government assistance. The program is open to people of all regions and religions.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu launched three new trains, including the Shalimar-Badampahar Weekly Express, the Badampahar-Rourkela Weekly Express and the Tatanagar-Badampahar MEMU train.
Along with the President, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other railway officials were present at the ceremony.
President Murmu also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Badampahar railway station on Tuesday.
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First print: November 24, 2023 | 6:49 am IST