Kartarpur corridor to open today
This decision reflects the immense reverence of the Modi government towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji and our Sikh community.
AMIT SHAH, Union home minister
NEW DELHI: The Centre has decided to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor from Wednesday, which connects the Indian border with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, Union home minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday.
The visa-free 4.7-km corridor was shut last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a series of tweets, Shah said reopening the Kartarpur Corridor will benefit a large numbers of Sikh pilgrims. “This decision reflects the immense reverence of the Modi government towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji and our Sikh community. The nation is all set to celebrate the Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji on November 19, and I am sure PM Narendra Modi government’s decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor will further boost the joy and happiness across the country,” the home minister tweeted on Tuesday.Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi welcomed the Centre’s decision of reopening the Kartarpur corridor and said the state cabinet will be part of the “Jatha”, which will visit the historic shrine in Pakistan on November 18.
“The entire cabinet will be part of the first ‘Jatha’ (group) which will visit and pay obeisance on November 18,” Channi told reporters. ”I warmly welcome the decision to reopen the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the auspicious occasion of 552nd Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This laudatory step has fulfilled aspirations of millions of devotees who’ve been deprived of ‘darshan didare’ due to the Covid pandemic,” Channi said later in a tweet
Over 59,000 pilgrims visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, since the opening of the corridor in November 2019 until March 8 last year.
NEW DELHI: The Kartarpur Sahib corridor to the most revered shrines of Sikhs located in Pakistan will be reopened from Wednesday, Union home minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday.
The corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.
The announcement to restart the pilgrimage that was suspended since March 2020 following the Covid-19 outbreak came three days before the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on Friday.
Shah said the decision reflects the Modi government’s immense reverence for Guru Nanak Dev and the Sikh community. “In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM @Narendramodi govt has decided to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17. “This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community,” Shah tweeted.
The home minister said the nation is all set to celebrate the Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji on November 19 and he was confident that this move will further “boost the joy and happiness across the country”. PunjabPunjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday welcomed the Centre’s decision of reopening the Kartarpur corridor and said the state cabinet will be part of the “Jatha”, which will visit the historic shrine in Pakistan on November 18. Besides Channi, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CM Amarinder Singh, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also hailed the Centre’s move.
Channi added that he, as the Punjab CM, had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to reopen the corridor.
“I thank them”, he said. “The entire cabinet will be part of the first ‘Jatha’ (group) which will visit and pay obeisance on November 18,” Channi told reporters. “I warmly welcome the decision to reopen the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the auspicious occasion of 552nd Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This laudatory step has fulfilled aspirations of millions of devotees who’ve been deprived of ‘darshan didare’ due to the Covid pandemic,” Channi said later in a tweet.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also welcomed the decision .” Welcome step …. The reopening of the corridor of infinite possibilities… invaluable gift for Nanak naam levas…may the corridor of the Great Guru remain open eternally to shower blessings on one an all….Sarbat da bhala,” said Sidhu in a tweet.In his earlier tweet, Sidhu had said, “I urge GOI to reopen Kartarpur Corridor, to create a new Darshan Asthan for ‘khule darshan didar’ for all and to cancel the 3 farm laws on Shri Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab, as it’s a day for reflection, rediscovery and reiteration of Gurus message of peace, harmony & universal brotherhood.”
Former chief minister Amarinder Singh thanked the PM and the Union home minister for the decision. “My profound gratitude to PM @narendramodi and HM @AmitShah for the timely opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. It will provide a chance to thousands of devotees to pay obeisance at the holy shrine on the occasion of Guru Purab of Guru Nanak Dev,” said Amarinder.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said, “I thank the Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for reopening the corridor. With this decision, Sikhs around the world will be able to celebrate ‘Prakash Purab’ with full devotion and enthusiasm.”
India signed the Kartarpur corridor agreement with Pakistan on October 24, 2019.
Under the pact, Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake round the year visafree travel through the 4.5-kmlong passage.
In November 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the dedicated corridor. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, the then Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Union minister Hardeep Puri were part of the first group that visited the gurudwara in Pakistan in November 2019 through the corridor.
Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and the then Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal were also part of the delegation led by Akal Takht Jathedar Harpreet Singh.