Kartarpur corridor talks: India to focus on facilities for pilgrims
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India expeditiously working to complete the Kartarpur corridor so that the pilgrims can have easy, smooth, secure and safe access to the holy Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib throughout the year.
India will be raising the issues related to providing facilities for pilgrims which includes allowing a large number of pilgrims access to the Kartarpur gurudwara through the corridor in the upcoming India-Pakistan officials meet in Wagah, Pakistan.
India had proposed 5000 pilgrims per day which Pakistan is not keen on saying it can allow only 700 people on designated days with a permit.
This is the second meet of the officials that will take place, the first happened in March on the Indian side of the Wagah Attari border. Three rounds of technical meetings have already taken place between both sides.
India has also asked Islamabad to build a bridge on its side that will provide safe movement of pilgrims but also address the issue regarding flooding. New Delhi is concerned about possible flooding of Dera Baba Nanak due to the construction of an embankment filled road on the Pakistan side that may cause flooding on the Indian side. This issue has been raised by New Delhi in the three technical meetings.
India is currently engaged in building a bridge on its side to provide for all weather connectivity for the Kartarpur corridor.
Work on the Indian side of the corridor is going on a fast pace with India building a passenger terminal building which is expected to be completed by 31 October 2019 and a four-lane highway connecting zero points at India-Pakistan border of the corridor with national highway 354.
The deadline for completion of the highway is September 30 2019, and as of now, 45% of work has been completed.
The total cost of the bus terminal and road is Rs 297.5 crore.
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