Kartarpur Corridor

The Kartarpur Corridor is a visa-free border crossing and religious corridor, connecting the town of Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, India, with the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal district, Punjab, Pakistan. This corridor allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of their holiest sites without a visa.
Historical Background

1. Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Kartarpur

• Kartarpur was established in 1522 by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.
• He spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur, preaching and farming.
• After his death in 1539, the site became sacred to Sikhs.

2. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib

The shrine is located just 4.7 km from the India-Pakistan border. Built at the site where Guru Nanak passed away, it is considered the second holiest site in Sikhism after the Golden Temple (Amritsar).

The Idea of the Corridor

1999 – Inception of the Proposal

• During Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan, the idea of a corridor was informally proposed.
• Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif and Vajpayee’s peace talks revived the concept.

2005–2018 – Repeated Demands

Pilgrims could visit only through a complex visa process and restricted access.

Sikh communities worldwide, especially from India, kept demanding visa-free access to Kartarpur.

Construction and Agreement

2018 – Official Announcement

• In November 2018, both India and Pakistan agreed to construct the corridor.
• Groundbreaking was done on:
  • 26 November 2018 on the Indian side by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu.
  • 28 November 2018 on the Pakistani side by Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the presence of Indian ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and others.

2019 – Bilateral Agreement

After several rounds of meetings, both countries signed an official bilateral agreement on 24 October 2019.
Inauguration

9 November 2019

Hundreds of Indian pilgrims crossed over on the first day, including former Indian PM Manmohan Singh, cricketer Navjot Sidhu, and actor Sunny Deol.

The Kartarpur Corridor was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The inauguration coincided with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Religious Significance

• It strengthens Sikh-Pakistan ties and gives spiritual satisfaction to millions of Sikhs worldwide.
• Kartarpur has become a symbol of interfaith peace and diplomacy.

Pilgrims consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Guru Nanak.