Kartarpur Passageway: India-Pakistan Without visa Excursion for Indian pilgrim travellers. In 2018, India and Pakistan went into a without visa consent to permit Indian devotees to enter Pakistan through Kartarpur passage and visit the blessed Darbar sahib.
In this article, we will examine the significance of the Kartarpur Sahib passageway and how it plays a significant part for the Indian Sikh people.
Table of Content
What is the Kartarpur Corridor?
An agreement between India and Pakistan was brought into action in 2018 for the development of the Kartarpur Sahib Hall, which will connect the Darbar Saib Gurdwara, situated in Pakistan’s Narowal region, with the Dera Baba Nanak Sanctum in the Indian province of Punjab. The Darbar Sahib Gurdwara is situated in India’s Gurprajpur area in the territory of Uttar Pradesh.
Given below are the salient features of this corridor:
- Under the agreement, Indian pilgrims will be able to travel visa-free.
- The 1974 protocol on visits to religious shrines set out the list of holy shrines and shrines that both India and Pakistan are allowed to visit, as well as the holy sites of their respective countries.
- During the five years of the agreement, both countries have the right to cancel the agreement with a notice of one month.
- This corridor could be seen as a road to peace between the neighbouring countries.
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor – A Brief Background:
Punjab province was split in half at the time of India-Pakistan partition. of which one was still inside the borders of Pakistan and the other was still in India.
Despite the fact that the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara was just 4 kilometers from Indian boundaries, numerous Sikh devotees couldn’t enter without a visa.
Given beneath is the course of events of the devolopment of the Kartarpur Hallway:
- In 1522, Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib was established by Indian Sikh Guru Nanak Dev.
- Almost forty years after 1999, Pakistani prim minister Nawaz Sharif and previous Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee proposed a hallway as a diplomacy between Delhi-Lahore.
- After almost twenty years since its proposition, the development of this hall got approved from Pakistan’s administration in 2018.
- Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu placed the foundation stone on November 26th while Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan laid it two days later on November 28th across the border.
- Celebrating Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary that year also marked a legendary moment when India sent out their first group of pilgrims to join sacred sites via The Kartarpur Corridor– which had just been finished after twenty years being talked about finally now coming into action towards liberation!
Significance of the Kartarpur Corridor:
By creating the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, the two countries expressed acceptance of one another’s cultures and religions. It is noteworthy in several other ways as well, including:
- Pilgrims who needed to go further and get all the required documentation and a visa in order to visit their holy place can apply online.
- We talked about the teachings of Guru Nanak Devji, who promoted love and harmony in the world.
- This corridor acts as a peace treaty between the two nations, promoting religious tolerance in spite of their hostilities.
Challenges with Implementation of the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement:
Many difficulties arose throughout the development and execution of the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement as a result of the political and security tensions between India and Pakistan growing.
- The Pakistani officials demanded a $20 pilgrimage fee from each Indian who came to the Gurdwara. Given that it went against India’s accepted culture and religious beliefs, this was intolerable.
- Another major concern for India was security. India was worried about the security of its citizens visiting the site due to the terrorist activity.
- Another issue was that both countries had signed a contract that allowed either India or Pakistan to end the project with one month’s notice. This might be used as a means of threatening to cancel the arrangement.
Important Facts about Kartarpur Corridor:
Given below are the important facts that you should know:
- A corridor has been built on the banks of the Ravi River, approximately 120 kilometers northeast of Lahore.
- To guarantee appropriate building of the passage, the two nations released the Kartarpur Corridor map.
- Visitors and Indian nationals are the only users permitted in this lane. Pakistani nationals are not permitted to use the Kartarpur Corridor
- Since carrying a dagger or kirpan is an element of faith for Sikhs, pilgrims will be permitted to do so.
- The age range of persons who can use the corridor is unrestricted.
- People must register online on the government website and bring an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) document in order to travel without a visa.
Latest Developments Regarding the Kartarpur Corridor:
Since opened in November 2019, the Kartarpur Passage has seen the following events.
- February 25, 2020: Chief minister of Punjab, Capt. Amrinder Singh, declared that the Kartarpur Corridor will remain open regardless of security concerns.
- March 15, 2020: The Indian government shut down all overall travel as a result of the far and wide spread in Covid This likewise applied to the Kartarpur Hall.
- April 20, 2020: The Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib’s domes fell, no less than eight of them in light of a rainstorm. The Indian government raised this matter with Pakistan, raising worries about the structure materials and strategies utilized.
- June 29, 2020: Pakistan chose to resume the Kartarpur Hallway after the Coronavirus pandemic constrained its impermanent closure. In any case, there was no guest from India. The Indian government expressed that it would choose whether or not to allow explorers in the wake of deliberating with wellbeing specialists and other significant gatherings.
- December 3, 2020: India condemned Pakistan for defying the the culture of peace goal that was embraced the earlier year and effectively giving over regulatory power of the Sikh holy site, Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara, to a non-Sikh association in November.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Kartarpur Corridor holds religious importance for the Sikh community, but it also has the potential to ease tensions in South Asia (perhaps by initiating greater economic integration and goodwill between the two Punjabs) and open the door for increased trade and people-to-people initiatives between India and Pakistan. Additionally, the Corridor will serve to emphasize the Sikh faith’s active involvement in promoting peace in South Asia during a time when hope is waning, rather than only acting as a “bridge-builder.” Thus, the Corridor holds significance as a fundamental element of “Sikh Soft Power” and serves as a reminder of the applicability of what has been termed “faith-based diplomacy.”
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FAQs on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor
What is the entry fee for Kartarpur Sahib?
Devotees who wish to visit the ICP — the last area on the Indian side before the passageway begins — should pay a charge of Rs 50. This is where every one of the rules, like those connected with movement, security, and customs, are finished.
Is passport required for Kartarpur corridor?
Travel to Kartarpur Sahib currently requires a passport , as per the Indian Service of Home Affairs. Changes to the ongoing Notice of Figuring out need strategic conversations between the two countries.
What is special about Kartarpur corridor?
Devotees from India can enter the crossing without a visa and visit the gurdwara in Kartarpur, Pakistan, which is only 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) from the Pakistani side of the India-Pakistan border.
What is the entry time for Kartarpur?
You should arrive at the Gurdwara before 1:00 p.m. at the latest, since it will take you at least two hours to explore inside and an hour and a half to tour outside. Though authorities would not allow anyone arriving after 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., the official closing time is 6:00 p.m.
How can I go to Kartarpur Sahib from India?
In order to visit the gurdwara via the corridor, pilgrims must apply online through the Union Home Ministry website and have a valid passport. The gurdwara is located less than 5 km from Dera Baba Nanak town in India.