Govt approves Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for easy movement of pilgrims to Pakistan gurdwara

New Delhi: Just a day ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti, the cabinet on Thursday approved the construction of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which would facilitate the movement of pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district — a historic place where Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life.

Home minister Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to confirm the news. He assured that the corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to pilgrims throughout the year.

The Kartarpur corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib throughout the year. Government of Pakistan will be urged to reciprocate and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory.

— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 22, 2018

The cabinet will now hold talks with Pakistan on this matter. The corridor will extend till the international border and the project will be funded by India.

Govt of India will develop a Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, Punjab to the international border to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit the holy Gurudwara Darbaar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of Rabi river in Pakistan where Guru Nanak Devji spend 18 years

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) November 22, 2018

Earlier, a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was submitted by a delegation of Sikhs from various parts of the US under the banner of California-based United Sikh Mission.

"The distance from the border to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is three kilometres into Pakistan... Pilgrims from India will be able to go to the gurdwara with an official Indian ID without having a visa from Pakistan or any other complicated formalities hurting the pilgrims that are not that technology savvy. Pilgrims must return to India the same day after attending the services," the memorandum said.