Berhampur, July 24: Around 1,000 senior citizens from 10 southern Odisha districts have congregated here for a pilgrimage under the government-sponsored 'Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana', which will commence tomorrow.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will launch the tour from Berhampur to Rameswaram and Madurai tomorrow.

"I have never visited south India before. I went to Dwarka, Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Haridwar about five years ago. This time, the government is sponsoring the trip," said 72-year-old Bijaya Chandra Das, who is a priest by profession, from Ambapur in Ganjam.

K. Rabinath Behera, 68, a barber, is also excited about the trip. "I have never been to south India. Earlier, we went on a pilgrimage to Vrindaban, Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Dwarka," said Behera.

Sushila Mohanty, 65, from Berhampur, said: "I had a long-cherished wish to visit Rameswar and God has fulfilled my desire."

Department of tourism organised a 'Bhajan Samaroh' to entertain the senior citizens at a Kalyan Mandap this evening, while Berhampur Municipal Corporation sent mobile urinal van and garbage container. The Public Health Engineering Organisation provided a water tanker. An enquiry counter has also been opened to help the tourists.

District tourist officer Sanatan Jena said the nine-day pilgrimage would conclude in the first week of August.

Tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda said the estimated cost per tourist would be Rs 18,000. "People with BPL cards will be able to travel free of cost."