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Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which connects Gurudwara Darbar Sahib (Pakistan), the final resting place of the first Sikh Guru, with Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, was closed in March 2020 after the Covid-19 outbreak. A DAY after Punjab BJP leaders met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday and submitted a memorandum requesting him to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor to Pakistan, sources said that the government is “considering reopening the corridor with certain conditions”.
Sources said discussions are underway between the ministries of external affairs and home affairs, including on “security considerations”. According to sources, Covid-19 restrictions may be put in place, including social distancing, double vaccination, RT-PCR tests within 72 hours, and the numbers may be restricted.
The Kartarpur Corridor, which opened in November 2019, has been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic. With Punjab headed to polls early next year, the reopening of the corridor can yield political dividends.
Last week, Pakistan had urged India to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor and allow Sikh pilgrims to visit the holy site for Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary celebrations. The 4 km-long corridor provides visa-free access to Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
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