The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara Corridor would be reopened on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday.“In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM @Narendramodi govt has decided to re-open the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17,” Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted on Tuesday.
“This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community,” he added. “The nation is all set to celebrate the Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji on the 19th of November and I am sure that PM @NarendraModi govt’s decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib corridor will further boost the joy and happiness across the country,” he added. The decision comes two days 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. 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.