Shirdi, Pandharpur devotees can avail of insurance cover

Devotees, who visit Shirdi and Pandharpur, can avail of insurance cover by paying a premium of Rs30.

More than 2 lakh people from the city travel to Shirdi and Pandharpur annually.

The Oriental Insurance Company Limited, which gives temporary insurance cover to Govinda and Ganeshotsav, will now cover the Shirdi and Pandharpur padyatris. Warkaris or devotees of Lord Pandurang walk to Pandharpur.

Many are injured during the journey. Food poisoning is one causes of concern for devotes during the long journey. The devotees going to Shirdi walk for around 8 to10 days and those going to Pandharpur take over 15 days to reach the pilgrim place.
"Ours is a government company. We have been running the govinda insurance scheme for the last seven years. As part of premium, we will charge Rs30 per person and will give insurance of Rs 1 lakh. We keep 15 days time for travel," said Sachin Khanvilkar, administrative officer of OICL.

Narendar Avhad, officer bearer of Gopal Krishna Krida Mandal, said it was a new concept. "The Govinda mandal takes the insurance scheme. Because there are incidents were the people suffered a serious injury during the padyatra."