Pak: Kartarpur corridor to be opened on Nov 9
LAHORE/GURDASPUR : Pakistan on Monday announced that the much-awaited Kartarpur corridor will be opened for Indian Sikh pilgrims on November 9.
The announcement was made during the maiden visit of local and foreign journalists to the proposed Kartarpur corridor in Narowal, some 125 km from Lahore, amidst fresh tension between India and Pakistan after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
Project director Atif Majid told the visiting journalists that so far 86 per cent of the work on the corridor has been completed and it will be opened on November 9.
Majid said the development work will be completed by next month. The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib.
An Indian team also inspected the ongoing construction work for the corridor at Dera Baba Nanak. “I come here in my capacity as the chairman of the Land Port Authority of India to inspect the work of the Kartarpur corridor. The work would be completed within time,” said Govind Mohan, MHA additional secretary.
“There are three major works, which have been undertaken on the Indian side. The construction of a 3.5-km long 4-lane highway from Gurdaspur highway to the border, which is being done by the NHAI. About 70% of this work has been completed. It will be fully completed before October 31,” said Mohan.