Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday laid the foundation stone of Kartarpur corridor, which would facilitate Indian Sikh pilgrims in visiting the 16th-century Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
The gurdwara, on the banks of Ravi river, has historical significance for Sikhs as Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent 18 years there.
Established by the first Sikh Guru in 1522, the shrine is about three km from the international border. The opening of a corridor was a long-pending demand of the Sikh community.
The decision to build the corridor — from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the international border — was taken by the Union Cabinet on November 22.
Pakistan is to build it on its side of the border and it has planned a ground-breaking ceremony for Wednesday.
Amarinder suggested there should be no visa requirement for pilgrims travelling via the corridor to the historic gurdwara in Pakistan. While he has declined to visit Pakistan as of now due to its support to terrorist groups, he said he will accompany the first 'jatha' to Kartarpur via the corridor next year.
He urged Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who was present at the event, to ensure that the corridor becomes operational by the next Gurpurab.
Gadkari assured Amarinder that his ministry would try to complete the construction work of the corridor expeditiously. "I will try to complete the work on this corridor within four to four-and-a-half months," he said. He said the Union Government plans to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary year of Guru Nanak Dev in a grand manner, adding the SGPC has been made the knowledge partner for various events which will be organised through the year.