News Desk |
The Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Ajay Bisaria has said that India is committed to complete the Kartarpur Corridor project and the work on the project will be completed by November this year.
India is working on the Kartarpur Corridor project from Gurdaspur, a city of Indian Punjab to Pakistan border. He said that construction work was being carried out rapidly on the Indian side, hoping that the project will be completed by November.
“India wants to accomplish this project soon,” he said. Bisaria’s comments have come after the news stories emerged saying the work on the Indian side is being carried out at a snail’s pace, especially, when Pakistan intends to open up the Kartarpur Corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev in November.
In the budget for the new fiscal year, Pakistan has proposed an allocation of Rs1 billion for the construction of the corridor. The overall cost of the project remains in excess of Rs12 billion.
Sources familiar with developments said that Pakistan has completed about 60 percent construction of the project but the corridor is unlikely to be completed on time on the Indian side because of the internal strife and politics of India.
The media reported that Pakistan is making serious progress in the development of the corridor but the two sides have not been able to chalk out a joint strategy because of the delaying tactics on the part of the Indian government. However, the reports added, there are chances that the corridor may see a ceremonial opening by November this year. Meanwhile, the Sikh community all over the world has expressed concerns over India’s slow pace and delaying the construction of the Kartarpur Corridor.
Pakistan Allocates Rs1 Billion for Kartarpur Corridor Project
In the budget for the new fiscal year, Pakistan has proposed an allocation of Rs1 billion for the construction of the corridor. The overall cost of the project remains in excess of Rs12 billion.
Read more: Kartarpur Corridor: Pakistan completes 50% construction work
Recently, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdum Khusro Bakhtiar said that the government was committed to complete Kartarpur Corridor on time as it will provide easy access to Sikh devotees besides promoting religious tourism.
The minister said that Pakistan’s gesture reflects its resolve to promote peace in the region and maintain cordial relations with all neighbors, including India. He underscored that the corridor will be developed within the stipulated time so that the Sikh devotees are able to perform their religious rituals on the upcoming birthday celebrations of Baba Nanak.
Moreover, the DG Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has said that technical details and designs were shared with the Indian side and the work was in full swing on the Pakistani side. DG FWO said that all cultural, religious and social issues have been taken care of while developing the corridor, adding that corridor will include the construction of border terminal buildings, Langar Khana, Gurdwara complex and a bridge.
PM’s special assistant Bukhari has scored a huge win for Pakistan’s tourism industry as Pakistan is preparing for massive Sikh tourism in line with Baba Nanak’s birth anniversary.
On November 28, 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan had performed the groundbreaking of the project, saying the corridor would be opened in November 2019.
UK Sikhs to Invest £500m for Religious Tourism in Pakistan
Recently, the Sikh community in London committed the investment of up to £500M (635 Million USD/96.5 Billion Rupees) for the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan in a meeting with Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, chairman of Pakistan Tourism Board and PM’s special assistant on overseas Pakistanis and human resource development.
PM’s special assistant Bukhari has scored a huge win for Pakistan’s tourism industry as Pakistan is preparing for massive Sikh tourism in line with Baba Nanak’s birth anniversary.
Read more: Sikhs apprehensive over India’s delay tactics in completion of Kartarpur Corridor
Bukhari, who was given the additional charge of promoting tourism in Pakistan earlier this year, has briefed the UK Sikh Foundation, heads of different Gurdwaras & business tycoons from across the UK about PM Khan’s desire to promote religious tourism and develop Sikh Gurdwaras and other religious sites.