Chhattisgarh launches free annual train travel to Ayodhya Ram Mandir
Chhattisgarh has greenlit a plan to provide annual free train travel for individuals eager to embark on a pilgrimage to Ram Mandir. This move was approved during a state cabinet meeting on January 10, led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The initiative fulfills a promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2023 assembly elections, vowing to enable the yearly pilgrimage for 20,000 people to Ayodhya by train.
Eligibility criteria and selection process for the pilgrimage scheme
The scheme's eligibility criteria include being between 18 and 75 years old and medically fit, with an initial focus on those aged 55 and above. A committee will be formed under each district's collector to supervise the selection process. The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board will lead the scheme's implementation, with funding from the state tourism department. A memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to carry out the initiative.
Itinerary and additional decisions related to the pilgrimage
The special pilgrimage train can be boarded from Raipur, Durg, Raigarh, and Ambikapur stations, covering a 900-km journey to Ayodhya. Travelers will spend a night in Varanasi, where they can visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple and partake in the esteemed Ganga Aarti. In a separate move, the Sai government has declared January 22 as a "dry day" in honor of the Ram Mandir's consecration in Ayodhya.
Ayodhya gears up for January 22's consecration ceremony
Safety and hospitality plans have been made for the January 22 consecration ceremony, including an "extensive master plan" on rescue and medical services from Ayodhya to Lucknow. These include, according to reports, two temporary hospitals, 16 primary health camps, 30 mobile toilets, 50 mela sarthis (guides), 12 ambulances (including twelve Advanced Life Support vehicles), and more than 200 doctors. There are also an additional 1,500 safai mitras and 30 stationary temporary toilets.
