Highlights:
- Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak is approximately one kilometre from the India-Pakistan border.
- Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib is located in the Narowal area of Pakistan.
- Dera Baba Nanak is a city in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab.
The Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which links to one of Pakistan’s most important Sikh shrines, reopens on Wednesday. The sacred Sikh shrine connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (the final resting place of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan) with Punjab’s Dera Baba Nanak shrine.
The corridor opens two days before Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pilgrimage was halted in March 2020.
“In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM @Narendramodi govt has decided to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17. This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community,” Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, tweeted about it.
Charanjit Singh Channi, the Chief Minister of Punjab, said on Tuesday that the whole state Cabinet will pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib on November 18.
Those who wish to visit Darbar Sahib can do so by registering online at https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/.
The decision to reopen the corridor comes as the Assembly Elections in Punjab, which are planned for 2022, approach.
Also Read: India Contemplates Resumption of Kartarpur Corridor With Pakistan
Documents required for registering for a visit to the Kartarpur Corridor:
- OCI (Overseas Citizen Of India) or a valid Indian passport
- Blood type
- Name of your nearby police station (if Indian)
- Copy of a passport-sized photograph that has been scanned (in JPG format not exceeding 300 kb in size).
- Scanned copy of passport (with photo and personal details) and last page including family details in a size no larger than 500 kb.
- Scanned copy of the first page of the OCI Card in size not exceeding 500 kb in size.
Booking the Kartarpur Corridor: How to Apply
Step 1: Go to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website, https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/
Step 2: Before starting the booking procedure, read the ‘Instructions for Filling Registration Form’.
Step 3: Click on ‘Apply Online’ in the top panel.
Step 3: Choose your nationality and travel date, then click ‘Continue.’
Step 4: In Kartarpur Corridor registration form fill out ‘Part A’ of the same and then click the ‘Save & Continue’ option. Fill in the details with the remaining information.
Step 5: Once completed, you will be given a registration number as well as a PDF copy of the form. Save the registration number and the pdf file for future reference.
Step 6: Three to four days before the day of travel, pilgrims will get an SMS and an e-mail confirming their registration.
After successful online registration:
Print a copy of the registration form and keep it with you for future reference. After successfully registering, you will receive an SMS and an e-mail. You will also receive an ETA, which will be required when travelling. A passport, in addition to the ETA, is required for use of the Kartarpur Corridor.
