Nearly 25,000 devotees from Punjab will visit Patna Sahib in January to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, and the state government has made broad arrangements for their travel to Bihar.
Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema today said the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh would be celebrated on a large scale on January 5 this year.
In accordance with the programmes, 10 special trains would ferry 10,000 devotees and 300 buses would fetch another 15,000 devotees in the first week of January to Patna Sahib, he said.
He said Punjab government has made special arrangements for the free travel and meals besides co-ordinating with Bihar government for the stay of the devotees.
Cheema said residents of every constituency would be fetched in the trains, apart from three buses operating from each constituency, taking the total to 300 buses.
He said a coach in each train would be reserved for women and the three trains departing from the places of three takhts - Sri Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Damdama Sahib - would have one coach each reserved for 'Nihang Sikhs'.
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With the model code of conduct likely to be imposed anytime in the state, Punjab government has sought permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow it to take devotees free of cost to Patna Sahib.
"The state government has sought permission for allowing it to take devotees from the state to Patna Sahib on the occasion of 350th birth anniversary of 10th Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh," officials said here today.
Punjab assembly polls are due early next year.
