Expansion of Mukh mantri Tirthyatra Yojana: Devotees visited Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar Balaji, Haridwar-Rishikesh, and Mathura-Vrindavan.

September 28, 2026

15 buses carrying devotees to these religious destinations were flagged off from Hoshiarpur by Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. The two leaders also visited the buses to review the arrangements and interacted with the pilgrims.

Free Travel, Accommodation and Meals

Under the scheme, devotees aged 50 years and above are eligible to undertake the pilgrimage. A maximum of two members from each family can avail themselves of the facility.

The Punjab government is providing free AC sleeper bus travel, accommodation and meals to the pilgrims. The government has also made arrangements for their care and assistance throughout the journey.

According to the government, four lakh devotees have so far visited religious destinations including Sri Amritsar Sahib and Sri Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi under the first phase of the scheme.

Bhagwant Mann Highlights Arrangements for Pilgrims

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann congratulated devotees from Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Mukerian and surrounding areas who were embarking on the pilgrimage.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the government had already been operating pilgrimage buses to religious destinations including Darbar Sahib, Ram Tirath, Amritsar Sahib, Wagah Border and Fatehgarh Sahib.

He emphasized that religious places belonging to different faiths convey messages of humanity and brotherhood.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said devotees travelling on the newly launched routes were enthusiastic and had already begun singing devotional songs on the buses. He wished them a pleasant journey and urged them to pray for the welfare, progress and good health of Punjab.

Medical Insurance and Assistance During the Journey

According to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, AC sleeper buses and AC rooms have been arranged for the pilgrims. Free meals and care will be provided throughout the journey.

The Punjab Government will also provide medical insurance for each pilgrim, allowing them to receive free treatment at empanelled hospitals in case of an emergency. For additional assistance, one attendant will be deployed on every bus, while special teams will be stationed at each destination to ensure that the process of visiting the religious sites proceeds smoothly.

Pilgrims to Receive Prasad and Brass Glasses

At the conclusion of the pilgrimage, devotees will receive prasad and a brass glass as a souvenir of the journey.

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said people from all regions, castes and religions would be eligible to benefit from the pilgrimage facility. He described the initiative as an effort to fulfil the wishes of senior citizens who want to visit various religious places and seek blessings.

15 Buses Depart from Five Districts

A total of 15 buses from five districts Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Pathankot and Gurdaspur departed from Hoshiarpur for different religious destinations.

The route-wise distribution is as follows:

10 buses from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar and Kapurthala will travel to Rishikesh-Haridwar.

2 buses from Phagwara and Gurdaspur will take devotees to Mathura-Vrindavan.

3 buses from Jalandhar and Gurdaspur will travel to Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar.

₹148 Crore Spent So Far

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that four lakh devotees had already visited Sri Amritsar Sahib and Sri Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi during the first phase of the pilgrimage programme.

The government has created clusters across different districts to facilitate the journeys. Mann said that ₹148 crore has been spent so far on the pilgrimage initiative, while the government has set a target of taking 10 lakh devotees to various religious destinations.