Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to be reopened today, Punjab cabinet to be part of `first jatha` to visit holy shrine

NEW DELHI: Ahead of ‘Gurpurab’ on November 19, the Centre will reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on Wednesday for Sikh devotes to the holy shrine in Pakistan that was closed since March last year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Corridor provides rare visa-free travel from India to Pakistan and vice versa for pilgrims to pray at Holy Gurudwara Darbar. The Centre had earlier decided to reopen the Corridor ahead of Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism - Guru Nanak. 

The Gurudwara, notably, is considered to be one of the holiest places in Sikhism and is believed to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak. 

Taking to Twitter, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said, "In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM Narendra Modi govt has decided to re-open 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."

"The nation is all set to celebrate the Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on 19th of November and I am sure that PM Narendra Modi govt’s decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib corridor will further boost the joy and happiness across the country," Shah added.

Meanwhile, Punjab 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. 
"I thank them. The entire cabinet will be part of the first 'Jatha' (group) which will visit and pay obeisance on November 18," CM Channi told reporters.

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.

The Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.

The 4.7-km-long corridor was opened with much fanfare in November 2019 on the occasion of Gurpurab. Recently, several Punjabi leaders had also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had requested him to open the corridor. 

The development came amid India gradually opening up for international travellers as the number of daily COVID-19 cases continues to decline.