Registration of Sikh pilgrims for Kartarpur corridor to begin from Oct 20
New Delhi : The registration process for Sikh pilgrims for Kartarpur Corridor between India and Pakistan is all set to begin in just three days from now.
Govind Mohan, chairperson of the Land Ports Authority of India, said that the online system of registration will open on October 20.
"Before the 20th, we are expecting the signing of the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian and Pakistan. From October 20, pilgrims can register on the online portal," said Mohan, who is also the additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
On the Indian side, it is expected that PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate it on November 8, the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The construction work on the corridor is also expected to end by October 31.
Pakistan will allow 5,000 pilgrims daily on the corridor that will link Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Punjab state to Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan’s Kartarpur.
Talking about the pace of work and expected time of it to complete on the Indian side, Mohan said, "Work is not happening in a linear manner. I am confident that by October 31, the terminal building will be ready to receive the first set of 5,000 pilgrims."
Shailendra Ajri, Vice President (Operations) of Shaponji pallonji, the firm tasked with completing the construction, also expressed confidence. "When we began on June 4, there were only green fields here. In four months, we have completed 80% of the construction. In the next fortnight, we will finish the remaining work," he said.
