Prime minister to inaugurate Kartarpur Corridor tomorrow
08 Nov 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Integrated Check Post of the Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur in Punjab tomorrow, 9 November 2019.
Prior to this, the prime minister will pay obeisance at Ber Sahib Gurudwara at Sultanpur Lodhi and, later, participate in a public programme at Dera Baba Nanak.
The inauguration of the ICP check post would facilitate pilgrimage to Gurudwara Kartapur Sahib in Pakistan by Indians.
India signed an agreement with Pakistan on 24 October 2019 on the modalities for operationalisation of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor at Zero Point on the international border, Dera Baba Nanak.
The building and development of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to the international border will facilitate round-the-year pilgrimage from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur a smooth and easy affair.
The 4.2 km four-lane highway connecting Dera Baba Nanak from Amritsar-Gurdaspur highway is constructed at a cost of Rs120 crore.
The state-of-the-art passenger terminal building is on 15 acres land. The fully air-conditioned building akin to an airport has over 50 immigration counters for facilitating about 5,000 pilgrims a day.
It has all the necessary public amenities like kiosks, washrooms, child care, first-aid medical facilities, prayer room and snacks counters inside the main building.
Robust security infrastructure is put in place with CCTV surveillance and public address systems.
A 300 ft National Monumental Flag is also being hoisted at the international border.
The agreement signed with Pakistan on 24 October provides a formal framework for operationalisation of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
- Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use the corridor;
- Pilgims can travel visa-free, but they need to carry a valid passport;
- Pakistan, however, has fixed a $20 fee on each pilgrim reaching Katrapur;
- Persons of Indian origin need to carry OCI card along with the passport of their country;
- The corridor is open from dawn to dusk - pilgrims travelling in the morning will have to return on the same day;
- The corridor will be operational throughout the year, except on notified days, to be informed in advance;
- Pilgrims will have a choice to visit as individuals or in groups, and also to travel on foot;
- India will send the list of pilgrims to Pakistan 10 days ahead of travel date. Confirmation will be sent to pilgrims 4 days before the travel date;
- The Pakistan side has assured India on sufficient provision for ‘Langar’ and distribution of ‘Prasad’;
Registration portal
Pilgrims may have to necessarily register themselves online on the portal prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in and exercise their choice to travel on any day. Pilgrims will be informed by SMS and email of the confirmation of registration 3 to 4 days in advance of the date of travel. An electronic travel authorisation will also be generated. The pilgrims need to carry electronic travel authorisation, along with their passport, when they arrive at the passenger terminal building.
It may be recalled that the union cabinet passed a resolution on 22 November 2018 to celebrate the historic occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji in a grand and befitting manner, throughout the country and across the globe.