India approves state-of-the-art Passenger Terminal at Kartarpur Corridor

The Home Ministry has approved the plan for a “state of the art” passenger terminal building complex at Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

The Rs 190-crore (approx. Dh100m) complex will have all the necessary amenities to facilitate pilgrimage to the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in the Narowal district of Pakistan.

The development follows the Union cabinet’s decision in November 2018 to develop the Kartarpur Corridor, from Dera Baba Nanak in the Gurdaspur district to the international border.

Project to be completed in two phases

Around 50 acres of land has been identified for the purpose and will be developed in two phases.

In the first phase the 21,650 square meter area built-up area would be fully air-conditioned. There will be open areas in the premises for the passenger cloakroom and parking.

The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), which is mandated to build and operate integrated check-posts along the land borders of the country, has been entrusted with the project. It has been directed to complete the project on a fast track-basis, before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, founder of Sikhism, in November 2019.

“The design and quality parameters have been prepared keeping in view aspirations and religious sentiments of Guru Nanak’s followers,” the official said. The design has been inspired by the symbol ‘Khanda’, which represents values of oneness and humanity.

“The disabled-friendly building will display murals and photographs representing rich Indian cultural values and have an eye soothing landscaping. It will have immigration and customs clearance facilities to process around 5,000 pilgrims a day,” said the official.

The complex will have open areas for kiosks, cloakrooms and adequate parking space. The passage up to the zero point on the international border will be covered.

In addition, a 300-feet National Monumental Flag will be hoisted at the international border.

In the second phase, a visitor gallery, a hospital and residential facilities for the pilgrims would be developed.

India is all set to build and develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Sikh pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river in Pakistan. The Kartarpur corridor project was long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India’s border district of Gurdaspur.