No toll for vehicles carrying pilgrims to Pandharpur, says Maharashtra govt

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced a toll exemption for the vehicles carrying devotees to the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district of the state for the annual Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage reported PTIThe toll waiver will be applicable from July 3 to July 21 read a notification issued by the Maharashtra government reported PTIThe notification said that light and heavy vehicles carrying the pilgrims and devotees will be exempt from paying the toll Such vehicles will be given stickers and passesThe authorities have been asked to maintain highway security patrolling near the toll booths the notification said reported PTIAs per a PTI report the state government also directed the authorities to get the roads and highways to Pandharpur including the SionPanvel highway MumbaiPune Expressway MumbaiBangalore national highway PuneSolapur and PuneSataraSolapur highways repairedLakhs of devotees from all parts of Maharashtra chanting hymns of Saint Dnyaneshwar and Saint Tukaram undertake wari pilgrimage on foot to Pandharpur where they converge on Ashadhi Ekadashi every yearThis year Ashadhi Ekadashi is being celebrated on July 17Earlier Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told the legislative assembly on Friday that the Maharashtra government will send a proposal to United Nations agency UNESCO for world heritage nomination for the annual Pandharpur wari pilgrimage which has a history of 1000 yearsAccording to the PTI report he said the government will also set up a separate corporation to provide facilities to Warkaris devotees of Lord Vitthal who undertake the annual pilgrimage from Alandi and Dehu in Pune district to the VitthalRukmini temple in Pandharpur in Solapur districtMaking the announcement during his budget speech Pawar said the corporation Mukhyamantri Warkari Sampradaya Mahamandal will be established to provide facilities to warkaris kirtankars those who sing in praise of deities and bhajani mandals groups of devotional singers as well as to manage the 250 km palkhi palanquin route reported PTIThe palkhi palanquin of Sant Tukaram reportedly departed from Dehu on Friday while the palkhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar will leave Alandi on SaturdayThis government is aware that Maharashtras umbilical cord is connected with this wari pilgrimage which has a tradition of 1000 years Therefore we are sending a proposal to UNESCO for world heritage nomination for the Pandharpur wari which is recognised globally as the identity of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar said reported PTIAccording to the PTI report Ajit Pawar said the government has decided to provide a sum of Rs 20000 per dindi group of devotees for the pilgrimage this year An allocation of Rs 3671 crore has been made for this in the budgetwith inputs from PTI