India hands over list of proposals on Kartarpur corridor to Pakistan

India has given a list of proposals to Pakistan with regard to Kartarpur corridor project ahead of the third round of high-level talks between the two countries on Wednesday.

According to proposals, India has sought permission for the visit of 10,000 Indian pilgrims to Kartarpur Gurdwara Sahib on special occasions.

According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan has accepted to allow visa-free entry of 5,000 Sikh pilgrims in a day. Islamabad has also agreed to allow the pilgrims to come in groups or individually to Kartarpur.

The Indian side has also sought the permission from Pakist authorities for Sikh pilgrims to prepare and distribute free food during their stay in Kartarpur, sources said.

During the second meeting, which took place on July 14, the two sides agreed to complete the construction of the 4.19-km long four-lane highway connecting the zero point of Kartarpur corridor to Gurdaspur-Amritsar highway by September 30, while the Passenger Terminal Complex at Dera Baba Nanak will be completed by October 31, Ministry of Home Affairs had said in a statement.

Built with a budget of Rs 500 crore on a 15-acre land, the Passenger Terminal Complex will have all public amenities to enable smooth passage of approximately 5,000 pilgrims per day.

SCL Das, Joint Secretary, Internal Security, Ministry of Home Affairs, who led the Indian delegation during the second Joint Secretary-level talks with their Pakist counterparts at Wagah, had said: "Both sides have agreed to maintain a channel of communication and work towards finalisation on the agreement of modalities. If required, our delegations could meet in India to formally concluding the agreement."

"We have been able to narrow down the differences since the first meeting held on March 14, 2019. Our technical teams will meet further to ensure seamless connectivity. Details will be further worked out," Das had added.

The Kartarpur corridor along the India-Pakistan border is 3-km away from Gurdaspur in Punjab, India. Once opened, this corridor will allow Sikh pilgrims direct access to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev passed away in 1539.

Last week, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the opening of Kartarpurcorridor will remain on track irrespective of Pakistan's ties with India over the Kashmir crisis, rejecting rumours that Pakistan had stalled the work on the corridor after the country's relations with its neighbour strained in the aftermath of

India's decision to change the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. The historic corridor will be inaugurated in November this year, she said.

( With inputs from ANI )