Kartarpur: Online registrations for the Kartarpur pilgrimage start

Online registration of devotees began on Thursday after India and Pakistan signed an agreement to operationalise Kartarpur Corridor to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit holy Darbar Sahib in that country. For registration of pilgrims, online portal (prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in) has gone live today, an official statement, issued after signing of pact, said.

India and Pakistan sign Kartarpur agreement

move came after India signed an agreement with Pakistan on Thursday on modalities for operationalisation of Kartarpur Sahib corridor at zero points on international boundary here. pilgrims will have to register mselves online on portal and exercise ir choice to travel on any day. Pilgrims will be informed by SMS and email of confirmation of registration 3 to 4 days in vance of date of travel. An Electronic Travel Authorisation will also be generated. pilgrims need to carry Electronic Travel Authorisation, along with ir passport, when y arrive at Passenger Terminal Building here, statement said.

RE | India and Pakistan sign historic agreement on Kartarpur Corridor

Kartarpur corridor

Kartarpur corridor will connect Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab with Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. As per agreement, India will send list of pilgrims to Pakistan 10 days ahe of travel date. Confirmation will be sent to pilgrims four days before travel date. Pakistan side has assured India of making sufficient provision for 'Langar' and distribution of 'Pras'. Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use corridor and travel will be visa free. Pilgrims need to carry only a valid passport while persons of Indian origin need to carry Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card along with passport of ir country, statement said. Kartarpur corridor will be open from dawn to dusk. pilgrims travelling in morning will have to return on same day and corridor will be operational throughout year, except on tified days, to be informed in vance, it said. pilgrims will have a choice to visit as individuals or in groups, and also to travel on foot, it said. main issue that has been a point of discussion was insistence of Pakistan to levy USD 20 as a service charge per pilgrim per visit.

India has consistently urged Pakistan to t levy any fee on pilgrims and it was stressed time and again, including in previous three Joint Secretary level meetings and at diplomatic level, that this is t in consonance with religious and spiritual sentiments of Indian pilgrims, statement said. India has shared its deep disappointment with Pakistan for its refusal to waive fee. However, in interest of pilgrims and timely operationalisation of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor before 550th Prakash Purb, India has agreed to sign agreement, it said.

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While agreement has been signed, India continues to take up this issue with Pakistan government to reconsider its insistence on levying fee. India remains rey to amend agreement accordingly, statement said. It ded that India continues to pursue issue of all-wear connectivity through corridor and in this context, Indian government has built bridge on Indian side and a temporary service ro as an interim arrangement. It is expected that Pakistan will fulfil assurance that it would build bridge on ir side at earliest, it said. All required infrastructure including highway and passenger terminal building are nearing completion for timely inauguration of Kartarpur Sahib corridor. A robust security architecture has been put in place while facilitating smooth and easy pass of pilgrims.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism, h spent more than 18 years of his life at gurdwara Kartarpur, located on banks of river Ravi. Representatives from Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Home Affairs along with representatives from Government of Punjab were present during agreement-signing ceremony.

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A state-of--art passenger terminal with facilitation centre to host government officials responsible for ensuring hassle-free travel of pilgrims, food kiosks, parking areas and security points will also come up by vember 8 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate much-awaited Kartarpur corridor. Union Cabinet passed a resolution on vember 22 last year to celebrate historic occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Devji in a grand and befitting manner, throughout country and across globe. Union Cabinet also approved building and development of Kartarpur Sahib corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to international boundary, to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, round year in a smooth and easy manner. With signing of this agreement, a formal framework has been laid down for operationalisation of corridor, it said. foundation stone for Kartarpur corridor was laid here in Punjab's Gurdaspur district by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in vember last year.

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