Today, Suresh Pujari, Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management from Lokseva Bhawan Bhubaneswar, virtually launched the third pilgrimage train under the Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana (BNTYY) for the fiscal year 2026–2027. 775 senior people and 25 escort officers from eight districts of Odisha—Sambalpur, Anugola, Baragada, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Subarnapur, Sundargada, and Deogada—are traveling on the pilgrimage train, which started its journey from Sambalpur Railroad Station. The pilgrims will go spiritually to the holy sites of Ayodhya and Varanasi.
The Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana was created to provide elderly residents of Odisha with a secure, well-planned, and coordinated way to go to significant holy sites. In order to provide the pilgrims with the support and coordination they require, designated escort officers go with them. The older folks will have the chance to explore the spiritual, religious, and cultural treasures of Varanasi and Ayodhya as part of the current pilgrimage. On September 27, 2026, the pilgrimage train is expected to return to Sambalpur.
Senior officials and dignitaries, including Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, RDC, Sambalpur, Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar, Collector & District Magistrate, Sambalpur, Rehan Khatri, Commissioner, Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, and Sudhansu Kumar Bhoi, ADM, Sambalpur, among others, attended the virtual inauguration at Sambalpur Railroad Station. The State Government’s dedication to providing senior citizens with safe and meaningful pilgrimage experiences and enabling them to embark on journeys of faith, devotion, and cultural discovery is reaffirmed with the start of the third pilgrimage train under BNTYY during FY 2026–2027.