Kartarpur corridor to reopen from Nov 17, Amarinder thanks Modi and Shah

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The Kartarpur Corridor with Pakistan will reopen from November 17 (Wednesday), just two days ahead of Gurupurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on Twitter.

The government's move came after a Sikh delegation on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to reopen the corridor.

The Sikh pilgrimage corridor, connecting the Darbar Singh Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan from Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in Gurdaspur in Punjab, was closed since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shah said that the decision taken by the Prime Minister shows the Union government's reverence towards Guru Nanak Dev Ji 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 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 I am sure that Modi government's decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib corridor will further boost the joy and happiness across the country."

After the Union Government's announcement, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh thanked the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister for reopening the Kartarpur Corridor.

Amarinder Singh said the reopening of the corridor was a long-pending demand of the millions and millions of followers.

"There could not have been a better occasion than now for opening of the corridor as thousands of devotees will get the chance to pay their obeisance at the holy shrine on the Guruparab day itself," Amarinder Singh said in a statement here.

The Kartarpur corridor gives access to the Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan without a visa.

Darbar Sahib is believed to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

The foundation stone for the Kartarpur Sahib corridor was laid on November 26, 2018 and the corridor was completed on the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikh Guru in 2019.