Islamabad: Pakistan Railways would soon construct a state-of-the-art railway station in Kartarpur to facilitate Sikh pilgrims, a news source quoted Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed. Rail services will be launched to connect Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur.
Rasheed said that the government has already offered 10 acres of land each in Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib, and five acres of land in Narowal to the Sikh community for the establishment of five-star hotels.
Pakistan and India recently agreed to open the Kartarpur Border for Sikh pilgrims, who annually come to Pakistan to visit their holy places. Prime Minister Imran Khan will lay the foundation stone of Kartarpur Corridor on November 28.
The corridor will connect Dera Baba Guru Nanak in Kartarpur with Pakistan-India Border. From there onwards, the Indian Government will extend the same road and connect it to Dera Baba Guru Nanak in Gurdaspur.
The 4.4-kilometre-long Kartarpur-Gurdaspur Corridor, after completion, will reduce travelling distance for Sikh pilgrims who currently reach Pakistan via Wahga Boarder in Lahore and travel another 130 kilometres to reach their holy sites in Narowal. Opening of the border and the construction of Kartarpur Corridor will cut the travelling distance to a mere four kilometres.
It is expected that the corridor will be ready for pilgrims ahead of Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birthday anniversary next year. For construction of the 4.4-kilometre long corridor, the road design is in the final stages of preparation. Furthermore, preliminary work to initiate construction work has also been started. Under this phase, soil samples are being collected.
