Rajasthan Ups Pilgrimage Seats to 50K, Plans AC Train Travel for Seniors

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government is expanding and upgrading its Senior Citizens Pilgrimage Scheme this year, bringing notable changes aimed at improving both the scale and experience of travel for elderly pilgrims. The number of beneficiaries is being increased from 30,000 to 50,000, and for the first time since the scheme began in 2013, pilgrims will travel in air-conditioned trains instead of general sleeper coaches.

The upgraded travel arrangements are designed to offer senior citizens a more comfortable experience, especially since pilgrimages often occur during the summer months. AC coaches are expected to ease the physical strain of long journeys in the heat, which has been a consistent concern in previous years.

Visual presentation is also getting a facelift. Special trains under the scheme will be adorned with images celebrating Rajasthan’s rich art, culture, and spirituality. The exterior of the coaches will showcase iconic religious sites, heritage locations, and notable personalities from the state. While the interior of the trains won’t undergo structural changes, windows and gates will be decorated to align with the new visual theme. The Devasthan Dept has been instructed by minister Zoraram Kumawat to ensure that the new designs reflect the Rajasthani style and stand out even when the trains pass through other states.

The surge in the number of passengers comes in response to high public interest. Around 1.5 lakh applications were received last year, prompting the government to raise the limit to 50,000. In line with this increase, the budget for the scheme has also been raised—from Rs 86 crore last year to Rs 113 crore this year.

However, the cap on air travel pilgrimages, specifically to Kathmandu, will remain at 6,000 passengers.

Since its launch, a total of 181,501 elderly citizens have participated in the pilgrimage scheme, with travel suspended only during the pandemic years of 2020-21 and 2021-22. The yearly breakdown shows how the scheme has grown over time, from 41,000 participants in its first year to a consistent 30,000-plus in recent years. In 2024 alone, 31,000 senior citizens took part in the program.

Pilgrimages under the scheme include prominent religious and spiritual destinations such as Rameswaram-Madurai, Jagannath Puri, Tirupati, Dwarkapuri-Somnath, Vaishno Devi-Amritsar, Prayagraj-Varanasi, Mathura-Vrindavan-Barsana, Sammed Shikhar-Pawapuri-Baidyanath, Ujjain-Omkareshwar-Trimbakeshwar, Gangasagar, Kamakhya, Haridwar-Rishikesh-Ayodhya, Mathura-Ayodhya, Bihar Sharif, and Velankanni Church. All destinations, except Kathmandu, are accessed via train.

With expanded capacity, improved amenities, and enhanced visual presentation, the scheme is set to offer Rajasthan’s senior citizens a more dignified and enriching pilgrimage experience in 2025.