On September 13, 2023, in Tehri Garhwal, as part of the ambitious “Deen Dayal Matru-Pitru Teerthatan Yojana” of the Uttarakhand government, a group of 34 pilgrims embarked on a journey to Shri Badrinath Dham. The group, comprising 13 women and 21 men, was flagged off by MLA Tehri, Kishor Upadhyay, from the Tourist Rest House Boradi in New Tehri, with a green flag hoisting ceremony.
All the elderly pilgrims were honored with tilak and flower garlands, and they appeared enthusiastic about the journey. They expressed their gratitude to the Uttarakhand government and the Tourism Department for this opportunity. Before setting off, a guide provided all the necessary information about the journey to the pilgrims.
The regional legislator stated that the aim of the “Deen Dayal Matru-Pitru Teerthatan Yojana” is to facilitate the pilgrimage of elderly individuals who may not be financially capable of undertaking such journeys. Through this scheme, arrangements for accommodation and transportation during the Char Dham Yatra will be made by the Tourism Department.
District Tourism Officer Atul Bhandari mentioned that this is the second group of pilgrims to embark on a journey to Shri Badrinath Dham under this scheme. Prior to this, on September 6, 2023, a group of 30 pilgrims left from Tehsil Gaja to Shri Badrinath Dham. He highlighted that the entire journey is completely free, and expenses related to transportation, accommodation, and meals will be borne by the Tourism Department. He also mentioned that pilgrims aged 60 and above from various locations within the district, as well as other pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand, will be facilitated under this scheme.
On this occasion, the General Manager of GMVN, Tirupan Singh Negi, and guide Ramesh Sharma, along with ADIO Information Bhajni Bhandari and other GMVN personnel, were present.