Punjab Expands Pilgrimage Scheme, 15 Buses Flagged Off From Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur, August 12, 2026: The Punjab Government has expanded its Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojna, with 15 buses carrying elderly pilgrims departing for major religious destinations including Haridwar-Rishikesh, Mathura-Vrindavan and Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar Balaji Dham.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann flagged off the buses from Hoshiarpur on Wednesday. They also inspected the buses, reviewed arrangements and interacted with the pilgrims before their departure.
Free Travel, Accommodation and Food
Under the scheme, people aged 50 years and above are eligible to undertake the pilgrimage. Up to two members from a family can avail themselves of the facility.
The Punjab Government is providing AC sleeper bus travel, accommodation and food free of cost to the pilgrims. The Chief Minister also said that medical insurance would be provided to every pilgrim to ensure access to medical treatment in case of an emergency.
An attendant will be present in every bus, while dedicated teams have been deployed at pilgrimage destinations to assist devotees and ensure smooth arrangements.
15 Buses Depart for Three Religious Circuits
According to CM Bhagwant Mann, 10 buses from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar and Kapurthala will travel to Rishikesh-Haridwar.
Two buses from Phagwara and Gurdaspur will travel to Mathura-Vrindavan, while three buses from Jalandhar and Gurdaspur will take pilgrims to Shri Khatu Shyam-Salasar.
Four Lakh Pilgrims Covered in Phase-I
CM Bhagwant Mann said that around 4 lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at Sri Amritsar Sahib and Sri Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi under Phase-I of the scheme.
The government has so far spent around ₹148 crore on the pilgrimage programme and has set a target of taking 10 lakh pilgrims on different religious journeys.
The Chief Minister said the scheme is open to people irrespective of their area, caste or religion. Pilgrims will also receive prasad and a brass glass as a souvenir after completing their journey.
Arvind Kejriwal said that around 1.5 lakh people from Punjab will be taken to different pilgrimage destinations in the coming months. He wished the pilgrims a safe and blessed journey and prayed for peace, prosperity and happiness in Punjab.ri Manish Sisodia and others were also present.
