Pakistan has agreed to open Kartarpur corridor on November 9. The opening of the corridor has been slated to coincide with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Kartarpur Corridor is cross-border corridor project between the neighboring nations of India and Pakistan. It is being built to allow the Sikh followers to reach Kartarpur. The corridor connects the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. The corridor will now allow Indian pilgrims to move visa-free. They just have to obtain a simple permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib.
Project director, Atif Majid told the media persons that 86 percent of the project have been completed. Both nations have agreed to allow 5,000 Sikh visitors per day. Atif Majid also said that as many as 76 immigration counters have been installed to look after the needs of pilgrims. It has been reported that Pakistan Gurdwara Sikh Parbhandik Committee will ensure that the pilgrims receive free food and medicines.
In the previous week, India had raised an objection to the decision of levying an additional $20 on each pilgrim. India also said that it wanted its protocol officer to accompany the pilgrims for their seamless movement.
Abrogation of Article 370 had left some serious doubts about the completion of the project, however, Pakistan official said that tension between the two nations would not affect the opening of Kartarpur corridor.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had urged the neighboring nation not to back out from its commitment of Kartarpur Corridor. He had also questioned the slow progress of the projects.
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