City
Epaper

Passport must for Indian devotees to visit Kartarpur shrine in Pak

By IANS | Updated: October 2, 2019 14:14 IST

A passport is a must for Indian devotees visiting Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, where Guru Nanak Dev breathed his last in Pakistan.

Open in App

However, a visa will not be required. But the visitors need to get them themselves registered online at least a month ahead of their visit.

These facts came to light at a high-level review meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Tuesday to assess the progress of the corridor project with a team of officers from the Centre.

A $20 service charge will be levied by Pakistan from each visitor on passage through the Kartarpur corridor.

A state government functionary, who was present at the meeting, told that Amarinder Singh had suggested any other government document like Aadhaar must be used in place of passports for identification.

He said at the meeting the Chief Minister asked the Regional Passport Officer in Chandigarh to ensure a fast-track and accessible mechanism to deliver passport services to pilgrims on top priority.

He also asked the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately start organizing passport camps across the state to help the devotees.

Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who attended the meeting, told the media on Wednesday that to facilitate pilgrims to apply online regarding their visit to Pakistan via the Kartarpur corridor a website would be launched on October 4.

He said special arrangements have also been made for people who don't have passports.

They could apply for passports by paying a fee of Rs 1,500 at convenience centres or post offices near them and the whole process will be completed within one or two days after which they will get their passports.

The Chief Minister will lead an all-party delegation across the border to Kartarpur Sahib on the opening day of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9.

The delegation that will accompany the Chief Minister to the historic gurudwara would comprise all the 117 state legislators, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab, Shriomani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members, as well as members of the Sant Samaj and representatives of each recognised political party in the state.

Thereafter, 5,000 pilgrims will be able to visit the gurduwara every day.

Construction of the 4.2 km-long corridor is targeted to be completed by October 31, a week before the celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

The gurudwara is located in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. It is near Dera Baba Nanak town in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

It is a highly revered Sikh shrine where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years of his life and is his final resting place.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: punjabAmarinder SinghGuru Nanak DevpakistanSukhjinder Singh Randhawa
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalMob Lynching in Karnataka: Man Killed After Allegedly Chanting 'Pakistan Zindabad' During Local Cricket Match (Watch Video)

InternationalIndia Attacks Pakistan at UN Over Pahalgam Terror Attack, Says 'Fuelling Global Terrorism'

MumbaiMaharashtra: Three Youths Arrested for Allegedly Supporting Pakistani Flag During Protest In Nala Sopara (Watch Video)

NationalIndia Bans 16 Pak YouTube Channels for Misleading Content on Indian Army, Security Agencies

NationalOdisha Family in Shock as 72-Year-Old Woman Receives Notice to Return to Pakistan After Pahalgam Terror Attack

National Realted Stories

MaharashtraMaharashtra: Will the State Observe Bank Holiday on Akshaya Tritiya and May Day?

NationalK’taka Police registers FIR against woman dietitian over ‘anti-Hindu’ remarks

NationalRaj CM, Union Minister Manohar Lal review meeting in Jaipur

NationalOdisha CM reviews ‘Jadu Pedi’ learning kits designed for joyful learning in schools

NationalKarnataka: Sri Ram Sena organises 10-hour puja for Pahalgam victims, Indian Armed Forces