Sudam Babu | State Bureau Odisha

Bhubaneswar, October 28, 2026: A special pilgrimage train carrying 775 senior citizens from Odisha departed from Bhubaneswar New Railway Station on Wednesday for Varanasi and Ayodhya under the sixth phase of the Mukhyamantri Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana for the financial year 2026–27.

Shri Prithviraj Harichandan, Odisha’s Minister for Law, Works and Excise, formally flagged off the train in the presence of public representatives, senior government officials and railway authorities. The initiative, implemented by the Department of Tourism in association with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), aims to help elderly residents of the state visit important religious destinations across the country.

The pilgrims are expected to return to Odisha on November 2, 2026. A team of 25 officials is accompanying the group to assist passengers and oversee their welfare throughout the journey.

Minister Wishes Pilgrims a Safe and Spiritual Journey

Speaking at the departure ceremony, Minister Prithviraj Harichandan conveyed his greetings to the participating senior citizens and wished them a peaceful, safe and spiritually enriching pilgrimage.

He highlighted the significance of travelling from Odisha, the land associated with Lord Jagannath and Lord Lingaraj, to the sacred cities of Varanasi and Ayodhya. The journey will give participants an opportunity to attend the renowned Ganga Aarti, seek blessings at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offer prayers at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.

The minister also emphasised that the state government had arranged the necessary facilities to make the pilgrimage convenient and secure for elderly travellers.

Six Odisha Districts Represented in the Pilgrimage Group

The latest phase includes senior citizens from six districts of Odisha. Cuttack accounts for the largest number of participants, with 197 pilgrims, followed by Khordha and Puri.

The district-wise participation is as follows:

• Cuttack: 197 senior citizens
• Khordha: 169 senior citizens
• Puri: 127 senior citizens
• Kendrapara: 108 senior citizens
• Dhenkanal: 89 senior citizens
• Jagatsinghpur: 85 senior citizens

Together, the six districts account for all 775 pilgrims travelling in this phase. In addition, 25 officials are accompanying the group to provide assistance and help ensure the smooth conduct of the tour.

As part of the departure programme, railway tickets and kit bags were symbolically distributed to the pilgrims.

Public Representatives and Officials Attend Flag-Off Ceremony

The event was attended by Shri Babu Singh, MLA from Ekamra, and Shri Ashrit Pattanayak, MLA from Pipili. Both extended their wishes to the elderly participants for a comfortable journey and a successful pilgrimage.

Other officials present included Shri Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Commissioner-cum-Secretary in charge of the Department of Tourism; Shri Pratap Chandra Beura, Additional District Magistrate, Khordha; Shri R. Manoj Babu, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Khordha Road Division; and Shri Dipankar Mahapatra, Director of Tourism.

The officials highlighted the importance of coordinated arrangements between the state tourism department and railway authorities in facilitating the pilgrimage.

Odisha Plans Pilgrimages for 8,000 Senior Citizens in 2026–27

The Mukhyamantri Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana is a flagship initiative of the Odisha government designed to help senior citizens undertake religious journeys to significant pilgrimage centres in India.

For the 2026–27 financial year, the state has planned to facilitate pilgrimages for approximately 8,000 senior citizens through 10 phases. The destinations covered under the programme include Ayodhya, Varanasi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rameswaram and Madurai.

According to the programme details shared at the event, around 4,000 senior citizens have already visited different pilgrimage destinations under the scheme during the current financial year.

The latest departure marks another step in the state government’s efforts to make religious travel accessible to elderly residents. By arranging organised train journeys and providing accompanying personnel, the programme seeks to reduce travel-related difficulties and allow participants to focus on their spiritual experiences.

With the latest group now on its way to Varanasi and Ayodhya, the scheme continues to offer senior citizens from Odisha an opportunity to visit some of India’s most revered religious sites.