CM Saini flags off special train carrying pilgrims from Ambala to Ayodhya
Chandigarh – Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini today flagged off a special train carrying pilgrims from Ambala to Ayodhya. He also announced that in the last week of April, another special train will be flagged off for devotees to visit Sri Hazur Sahib Gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra.
Before this, addressing the pilgrims, the Chief Minister said that today is a historic and emotional moment for Haryana. He said flagging off this special pilgrimage train from the sacred land associated with Lord Krishna to the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya Dham is a matter of great pride and honour. Congratulating the pilgrims, he said that the grand, divine, and newly built temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya is a matter of pride for the entire nation. It is the result of collective good deeds that people witnessed the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla and now have the opportunity to visit the temple.
Saini said that this journey to Ayodhya is not just a physical journey but a spiritual transformation. He added that when pilgrims stand on the banks of the Saryu River, visit Hanumangarhi, and step into the grand Ram Temple, they will feel the energy that once made India a ‘Vishwa Guru’.
He informed that the Haryana Government has entered into an agreement with the Railways for pilgrimage travel. Under this arrangement, about 700 elderly people from seven districts are being sent on this first train. Adequate arrangements for food and security have been made to ensure a comfortable journey. He also thanked the officials of the Railways for ensuring special arrangements so that devotees do not face any inconvenience.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to ensuring that elderly citizens and economically weaker devotees are not deprived of pilgrimage due to financial constraints. With this objective, the government has launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana,’ and today’s train is a symbol of that promise and trust. He added that earlier also, devotees from Kaithal, Karnal, Ambala, and Jind were facilitated to visit Ayodhya through buses.
He said that pilgrimage sites like Ayodhya are sources of spiritual energy in Indian culture. For visits to the Sindhu River, which has nurtured Indian civilization, the ‘Swarn Jayanti Sindhu Darshan Yojana’ is being implemented, under which financial assistance of ₹10,000 per pilgrim (up to a maximum of 50 pilgrims) is provided annually. Similarly, under the ‘Kailash Mansarovar Yatra’ scheme, financial assistance of ₹50,000 per pilgrim (up to a maximum of 50 pilgrims) is provided annually.
The Chief Minister further informed that under the ‘Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra Yojana,’ pilgrims from the state visiting Sri Hazur Sahib Gurdwara (Nanded), Sri Nankana Sahib, Sri Hemkund Sahib, and Sri Patna Sahib are provided financial assistance of ₹6,000 per pilgrim. He extended his best wishes for a safe and blessed journey to all the pilgrims.
