Chandigarh: The state administration’s Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme has facilitated over five lakh citizens in undertaking pilgrimages to prominent religious destinations across and beyond the region. Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond stated during an official briefing that the initiative aims to assist elderly residents by offering comprehensive travel facilities without financial burden.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond affirmed that ninety-five air-conditioned buses currently operational under the project have completed more than twelve thousand trips to facilitate five lakh ten thousand eight hundred seven pilgrims. He declared that the first phase began in November last year, enabling initial visits to Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and Mata Naina Devi. The minister maintained that subsequent expansion in August added destinations including Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar Balaji Dham, Haridwar-Rishikesh, and Mathura-Vrindavan.
Details regarding eligibility and operational logistics show that residents aged fifty years and above qualify for the service. The administration provides air-conditioned sleeper bus transportation, lodging, and meals free of cost. Medical attendants and general personnel accompany each bus, while dedicated staff stationed at destination sites assist pilgrims. The minister added that directions issued by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann ensure all safety, sanitation, and hospitality standards are met for pilgrims regardless of area, caste, or religious background.
