CM Kejriwal flags-off train from Delhi to Ayodhya under 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana'

The Delhi government’s first pilgrimage train of the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana’ to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh was flagged off on Friday, December 3. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reached Safdarjung Railway Station to give a green signal to the train from the national capital to Ayodhya and Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot was also present at the occasion, according to ANI. Passengers of the train will get to visit the holy Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. 

Addressing the media, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal informed that the first train from Delhi to Ayodhya has departed. He added that the passengers of the train will be able to worship Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Furthermore, he revealed that he spoke to passengers on the train who were happy. Kejriwal stated that as the COVID-19 cases in the country continue to witness a drop, more pilgrimage trains from Delhi will be introduced.

“The first train has departed from Delhi for Ayodhya today. These senior citizens, our parents in a way, will get to worship Lord Ram in Ayodhya. I talked to the passengers and they were all really happy and seeing that made me feel happy too,” Kejriwal told reporters as per ANI. 

The Delhi CM further said that the trains from Delhi will go to pilgrimage places like Rameshwaram, Haridwar, Ajmer Sharif, Puri in the upcoming days. Taking to Twitter, Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, 3 December, alleged that the Central government refused to allow an event planned by the AAP government at the Safdarjung railway station to flag off the first train for Ayodhya. Furthermore, Kejriwal claimed that the government did not allow the media to talk to passengers. Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot stated that nice arrangements have been made and passengers are excited as they have come from various parts of Delhi. He added that good hotels have been booked for them and prayed to God for their safe travel and return. Gahlot added that only fully vaccinated people or those with a negative RT-PCR have been allowed to travel on the train. 

Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojna

On November 26, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the first train to Ayodhya under the free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens will leave on December 3. He further revealed that the government is going to include Vailankanni Church in Tamil Nadu and Kartarpur Sahib to the list of destinations very soon, reported ANI. Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana was launched by the Delhi Cabinet on January 12, 2019, and since its formal launch, 35,080 beneficiaries have travelled under the scheme.

Inputs from ANI

Image: Twitter/@ArvindKejriwal