Darshan at Kashi Vishwanath and a visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar — these two wishes often go together in the minds of Haryana’s elderly. The good news is that the Haryana Government’s Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana takes senior citizens to Varanasi and Amritsar completely free — third AC train fare, food, lodging and local transport are all borne by the government. This guide has the complete information on the Varanasi–Amritsar yatra — who can apply, which places are covered, which documents are needed, how to apply online through the Antyodaya-SARAL portal, and the status of the next batch.
First, an important clarification: the myScheme portal lists this yatra as the “Varanasi and Amritsar Yatra Scheme”, but it is NOT a separate scheme — the Varanasi and Amritsar yatras are conducted under the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana. The general guide to that scheme is already on our website — Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana Haryana 2026: Free Pilgrimage for 60+ (Hindi guide; no English mirror exists yet). This guide focuses on the Varanasi and Amritsar yatras of the same scheme — the darshan places, their special arrangements and the application process for them.
Scheme at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana — Varanasi and Amritsar Yatra |
| Name on myScheme | Varanasi and Amritsar Yatra Scheme |
| Launched | Announced 2 November 2023; implementation from December 2023 |
| Department | Department of Information, Public Relations and Languages, Government of Haryana |
| Beneficiaries | Senior citizens of Haryana aged 60 years or above |
| Income limit | Family annual income below Rs 1.80 lakh |
| Benefit | Free train travel (3rd AC), food, lodging, local transport |
| Frequency of benefit | Once in 3 years |
| Mandatory condition | Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP / Family ID) |
| How to apply | Antyodaya-SARAL portal (online) / CSC / SARAL Kendra (offline) |
| Official portal | saralharyana.gov.in |
| SARAL helpline | 0172-3968400, [email protected] |
| Varanasi–Amritsar batch status | No batch announced as of 8 November 2026 (see below) |
What Darshan is Covered in Varanasi?
Varanasi is regarded as one of the oldest living cities in the world. The Varanasi yatra under the scheme covers these major places:
| Place | Significance |
|---|---|
| Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple | One of the 12 Jyotirlingas; the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor leads straight to the Ganga ghats |
| Ganga ghats and Ganga Aarti | Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat; bathing and darshan at the ghats |
| Other Kashi temples | Sankat Mochan, Durga Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple — as per the batch notice |
| Sarnath | About 10 km from Varanasi — where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon; if included in the batch notice |
Note — which places are included in a batch is stated in that batch’s announcement. Not every batch covers all places, so do read your batch notice before applying.
What Darshan is Covered in Amritsar?
Amritsar is the holiest city of the Sikh faith and is also close to Haryana. The Amritsar yatra under the scheme covers these major places:
| Place | Significance |
|---|---|
| Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) | The holiest gurdwara of Sikhism; holy dip in the sarovar and langar seva |
| Langar | The world’s largest community kitchen — free food for all devotees |
| Jallianwala Bagh | Memorial of the 13 April 1919 massacre — the Amar Jyoti and museum |
| Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal (Ram Tirath) | Believed to be where Maharishi Valmiki wrote the Ramayana; the Chief Minister paid darshan here in October 2026 |
| Durgiana Temple | Famous temple of Goddess Durga — if included in the batch notice |
| Wagah Border ceremony | The evening Beating Retreat ceremony at the India–Pakistan border — if included in the batch notice |
As with Varanasi, which places are included in an Amritsar batch is stated in that batch’s announcement.
What is Free?
For eligible pilgrims, the Varanasi or Amritsar yatra is completely free. Since the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 10 March 2026 between the Haryana Government and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), yatras are conducted by special pilgrimage trains. Each special train has 11 coaches — 10 for pilgrims and 1 for service staff.
| Facility | Details |
|---|---|
| Train travel | Third AC (3rd AC) berth in a special pilgrimage train — both ways |
| Food and water | Meals and drinking water during the train journey arranged by the government |
| Lodging | Stay arrangements at the pilgrimage site arranged by the government |
| Local transport | Free local vehicles from the railway station to the pilgrimage site |
| Home to station | As per the guidelines, the government also bears the cost of transport from the place of residence to the departure point — the exact arrangement is stated in the batch notice |
| Service staff | A coach reserved for service staff in every special train, to look after pilgrims during the journey |
| Shopping / offerings | Shopping, personal expenses or offerings at the pilgrimage site are your own responsibility — they are not covered by the scheme |
Eligibility — Who Can Apply?
All of the following conditions must be met to apply for the Varanasi or Amritsar yatra:
- Permanent resident of Haryana — residents of other states are not eligible for this scheme.
- Age 60 years or above — age is counted as on 1 January of the application year.
- Must have a Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP / Family ID) — no application is accepted without a PPP. The name, age and income details in the PPP must be correct.
- Family annual income below Rs 1.80 lakh — total income from all sources; this is verified from the PPP.
- Must not have availed the benefit in the last 3 years — one person can travel only once in 3 years; a self-declaration / affidavit is required for this.
- Must be medically fit to travel — a health self-declaration or medical fitness certificate has to be given.
Who is Not Eligible?
- Those whose age is below 60 years as on 1 January of the application year.
- Those who do not have a valid Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP).
- Those whose family annual income is Rs 1.80 lakh or more.
- Those who have already availed the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana benefit in the last 3 years.
- Those who are not permanent residents of Haryana.
- Those who are not medically fit to travel — in such a case, apply only on a doctor’s advice.
Special Rules — 80+ Pilgrims, Spouse and Paid Travel
As per the scheme guidelines and district administration notices, these rules apply to companions:
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Applicants above 80 years of age | Can take one attendant along; the attendant has to pay 50% of the rail fare — payable online or in cash at the nearest Antyodaya Saral Kendra. The attendant must also be a resident of Haryana and must have a PPP. |
| Spouse (husband/wife) | Eligible applicants in the 60–80 age group can also take their spouse along free of cost; applicants above 80 years can take their spouse along free of cost. The guidelines also mention an age relaxation for the spouse — check the exact condition from the live form on the portal and the notice of the batch concerned at the time of application. |
| Travel on full payment | As per district administration notices, people in the 18–60 age group or with income above Rs 1.80 lakh can also avail the yatra of this scheme on full payment. This facility may not be available in every batch — check your batch notice. |
Note: the spouse and paid-travel conditions come from district batch notices — they need not be identical in every batch. Do check the exact conditions from your batch notice and the SARAL portal’s live form before applying.
Documents Required
Keep these documents ready while applying:
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP / Family ID) | Mandatory — Haryana residence and family income are verified from it |
| Aadhaar card, PAN card or any other valid photo identity proof | Identity proof |
| Medical fitness certificate | Proof of being fit to travel — from a government hospital or a recognised doctor |
| Self-declaration | Regarding not having availed the benefit in the last 3 years and being fit to travel |
| Affidavit | Regarding not having availed the benefit in the last 3 years (as per the guidelines) |
| Attendant’s documents | Only for the attendant accompanying an 80+ applicant — including PPP |
| Passport-size photograph | If the portal asks for it |
Note: the portal’s live form is final — any additional document asked on the SARAL portal at the time of application will also have to be given. The document list may differ slightly in a batch notice, so do read that batch’s notice before applying.
How to Apply Online — Step by Step
Applications for the Varanasi or Amritsar yatra are made online through the Antyodaya-SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in). The process is as follows:
- Open the SARAL portal: go to saralharyana.gov.in.
- Register / log in: if you are a new user, click “New User? Register Here” and register — fill in name, email ID, mobile number and password, then complete verification with the OTP received on mobile and email. After registration, log in with the same login ID and password.
- Find the service: click “Apply for Services”, then choose “View all Available Services”. Type “Tirth Yatra” or “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana” in the search box and click on the scheme name. Note — no separate SARAL service by the name “Varanasi–Amritsar Yatra” has been verified; the application is made through this “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana” service, in which the destination is chosen as per the batch.
- Fetch family data with PPP: enter your Parivar Pehchan Patra (Family ID) number and fetch the family data — the list of family members will appear. Select the applicant’s name and verify with the OTP sent to the mobile number of the concerned member.
- Fill the form: fill in all the information asked in the form — the travel destination (the batch you are applying for — Varanasi or Amritsar), upload documents and submit the affidavit / self-declaration.
- Submit: check the form carefully and submit it, and keep the Application Reference Number safe — it is used to check the application status.
Offline Application Option
If you are unable to apply online, you can also apply by visiting your nearest Atal Seva Kendra (CSC), SARAL Kendra or Antyodaya Kendra. The application is entered on the same SARAL portal there — do not forget to carry your documents. As per the scheme guidelines the government fee is Rs 0, but a service charge of Rs 10 may apply at the centre.
For some yatras (such as the Nanded and Somnath batches) it was also stated that after applying online, the applicant had to submit their details at the District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) office of their district. This condition need not apply in every batch — follow what is written in your batch notice.
How is Selection Done?
Selection for the scheme’s batches is done on a “First-Come, First-Served” basis — that is, eligible applicants are selected in order until the seats are filled. So whenever registration opens for a yatra, apply early without waiting for the last date. After the application, the department verifies the PPP and documents, and selected pilgrims are informed about the journey.
Status of the Next Yatra — When is the Varanasi–Amritsar Batch?
Yatras are announced batch by batch. Major yatras conducted so far:
| Yatra | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ambala to Ayodhya | 28 March 2026 | First special train; flagged off by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini; around 700 pilgrims |
| Kurukshetra to Nanded (Takht Sri Hazur Sahib) | 5 May 2026 | More than 800 pilgrims from 9 districts |
| Sirsa to Nanded (via Gurugram) | 15 May 2026 | Second Nanded special train |
| Kurukshetra to Somnath | 8 June 2026 | Under the Somnath Swabhiman Parv; registration last date was 6 June 2026 |
Important — as of 8 November 2026, no batch date has been announced for Varanasi or Amritsar under this scheme. All the yatras listed above are complete — their registration last dates have passed, so do not apply for them. As soon as a Varanasi or Amritsar batch is announced, its date and registration last date should be checked only from the SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in) and the district administration notice — no estimated date is given in this guide. This is also why no last date is stated in this guide.
Fee, Timeline and Status Check
| Subject | Status |
|---|---|
| Application fee | Government fee Rs 0 — the yatra is completely free for eligible pilgrims; a service charge of Rs 10 may apply at a CSC / SARAL Kendra |
| Timeline (RTS) | No fixed timeline is published for applications — selection happens as per the batch announcement and seat availability |
| Last date | There is no permanent last date — the registration last date is different for every batch and is stated in the batch announcement; as of 8 November 2026 no Varanasi–Amritsar batch has been announced |
| Status check (online) | Log in to the SARAL portal saralharyana.gov.in, or open the SARAL status portal status.saralharyana.nic.in and enter the Application Reference Number |
| Status check (offline) | Contact your district DIPRO office or the nearest CSC / SARAL Kendra |
| Frequency of benefit | Once in 3 years — those who have availed the benefit in the last 3 years are not eligible again |
What to Do on the Day of Travel?
After selection, keep these points in mind on the day of travel:
- Reach the station at least 1–2 hours before the time mentioned in the information given before the journey.
- Carry your original identity proof (Aadhaar card) and a copy of the application.
- Carry your regular medicines in sufficient quantity and inform your fellow traveller or the service staff about your health condition.
- Note down your berth and coach details in the train in advance.
- For any problem during the journey, contact the service staff present in the train or your district DIPRO office.
Pre-Application Checklist
Complete these five tasks before applying, so that nothing blocks you while filling the form:
- Keep your Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) ready. If you do not have a PPP, get it made first — no application is accepted without a PPP. The name, age and income details in the PPP must be correct.
- Check your income. The family annual income from all sources must be below Rs 1.80 lakh. This information is verified from the PPP, so the income figure in the PPP must be updated.
- Keep a photo identity proof ready. Keep a clear copy of your Aadhaar card or PAN card — it may have to be uploaded while filling the form.
- Get a health certificate. Get a fitness certificate for travel from a government hospital or a recognised doctor. It is also important for your safety during the journey.
- Keep your mobile number active. The OTP on the SARAL portal comes on the mobile number given in the registration. The application status and selection information also come on this number.
Understand the Difference — This Yatra vs Other Pilgrimage Schemes
Several pilgrimage schemes have similar-sounding names — do not confuse them:
| Scheme / Yatra | What it is | Relation to this guide |
|---|---|---|
| Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana (general guide) | The Haryana Government’s main scheme — all pilgrimage places including Ayodhya, Varanasi, Nanded, Patna Sahib, Ajmer Sharif, Somnath and Vaishno Devi | This is the parent scheme — its full guide is on our website; this guide focuses on its Varanasi–Amritsar yatras |
| Sindhu Darshan Yatra Scheme 2016 | Assistance for the Sindhu Darshan pilgrimage (Leh–Ladakh) | A separate scheme — not covered in this guide; a separate guide will come |
| Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Scheme 2016 | Assistance for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra | A separate scheme — not covered in this guide; a separate guide will come |
| Swaran Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra Scheme 2016 | Assistance for the Guru Darshan pilgrimage | A separate scheme — not covered in this guide; a separate guide will come |
| 2019 Dalit pilgrimage announcement | In 2019 the then Chief Minister announced free travel for Dalits to the birthplaces of Sant Kabir and Sant Ravidas in Varanasi and to the Valmiki shrine in Amritsar — 100 pilgrims per assembly constituency, registration at the DC office, second-class train tickets | This was a separate, older announcement — do not confuse it with the current Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who can apply for the Varanasi–Amritsar Yatra Scheme?
A permanent resident of Haryana, aged 60 years or above as on 1 January of the application year, who has a Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) and whose family annual income is below Rs 1.80 lakh, can apply. The applicant must not have availed the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana benefit in the last 3 years.
2. Is this a separate scheme or part of the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana?
It is part of the same Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana — the myScheme portal lists it as the “Varanasi and Amritsar Yatra Scheme”, but the application is made through the “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana” service on the SARAL portal. Varanasi and Amritsar are two major destinations of that scheme.
3. What is free in the yatra?
A third AC (3rd AC) berth in a special pilgrimage train (both ways), food and drinking water during the train journey, stay arrangements at the pilgrimage site and local transport from the railway station to the pilgrimage site — everything is provided free by the Haryana Government.
4. How to apply online for the Varanasi or Amritsar yatra?
Register and log in on the Antyodaya-SARAL portal saralharyana.gov.in, search for “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana” under “Apply for Services”, fetch family data with the PPP number, verify with OTP, choose the Varanasi or Amritsar batch as the destination, upload documents and submit the form. Offline application is also possible from a CSC or SARAL Kendra.
5. When is the next Varanasi or Amritsar batch?
As of 8 November 2026, no batch date has been announced for Varanasi or Amritsar. The last yatra was to Somnath on 8 June 2026. Check the next yatra announcement only from the SARAL portal and the district administration notice — do not trust any date from an unofficial source.
6. How many times can a person avail this scheme?
Only once in 3 years. If you have travelled under this scheme in the last 3 years, you are not eligible again — a self-declaration / affidavit has to be given for this.
7. Can pilgrims above 80 years of age take someone along?
Yes. Applicants above 80 years of age can take one attendant along. The attendant has to pay 50% of the rail fare. The attendant must also be a resident of Haryana and must have a PPP. Check the batch notice for the rules on taking a spouse along.
8. Why is the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) necessary for applying?
The PPP is used to verify the applicant’s Haryana residence and family income. No application is accepted without a valid PPP. If you do not have a PPP, get it made first and then apply for this scheme.
9. Does one have to deposit any money before the yatra?
No. The yatra is completely free for eligible pilgrims and the government application fee is Rs 0. Only a service charge of Rs 10 may apply at a CSC / SARAL Kendra, and the attendant of an 80+ applicant has to pay 50% of the fare. There is no other payment — be careful if anyone asks for money.
Official Links and Contacts
| Work | Link / Contact |
|---|---|
| Apply online (SARAL portal) | saralharyana.gov.in (search for the service: “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana”) |
| Check application status | status.saralharyana.nic.in (enter the Application Reference Number) |
| SARAL helpline | 0172-3968400 | Email: [email protected] |
| Department | Department of Information, Public Relations and Languages, Government of Haryana |
| myScheme — scheme detail page | myscheme.gov.in/schemes/svayhr (the detail page is client-rendered and could not be read directly; also see the list page) |
| myScheme — Haryana schemes (list) | myscheme.gov.in/search/state/Haryana |
| IRCTC MoU (10 March 2026) | The Hindu — Haryana government, IRCTC sign MoU to facilitate free pilgrimage for the elderly |
| CSC centre | Nearest Atal Seva Kendra (CSC) / SARAL Kendra — for offline application |
Related Guides — Also Read: Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana 2026: Free Pilgrimage for 60+ (Hindi guide — no English mirror yet) | Haryana Old Age Samman Allowance 2026: Rs 3,200/Month | Ladli Samajik Suraksha Bhatta Haryana (Hindi guide) | Haryana Cancer Patient Pension: Rs 3,000/Month (Hindi guide) | Haryana Divyang Pension Rs 3,200/Month (Hindi guide)
Disclaimer
This guide has been prepared on 8 November 2026 on the basis of available official sources — the guidelines of the Haryana Government’s Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana, district administration notices (PRMS, Government of Haryana, 11 April 2026), the Haryana Government–IRCTC MoU (10 March 2026) and the myScheme portal’s Haryana list. Yatra dates, destinations and registration last dates are announced batch by batch — before applying, do confirm the current information from the SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in) or your district DIPRO office. Wherever sources differ or information is unverified, it has been stated clearly in this guide. Viksit Haryana is not an official portal of any government department.
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