CAPT AMARINDER SEEKS PASSPORT WAIVER FOR PILGRIMS TO CROSS KARTARPUR CORRIDOR FOR `KHULLE DARSHAN’ OF HISTORIC GURDWARA

URGES CENTRE TO FINALISE ROAD ALIGNMENT PROJECTS FOR EARRLY ACQUISITION & OPERATIONALISATION CHANDIGARH, JANUARY 15, 2019: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has sought waiver of passport condition for pilgrims to cross the Kartarpur Corridor to enable “khulle darshan deedar” of Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara on the 550th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. Captain Amarinder Singh has also asked the Modi Government to quickly finalize the alignment of the road access and attendant government infrastructure to be built around the Corridor so that the process of acquisition may be commenced without any further delay to ensure early operatlionalisation of the historic Corridor. He has written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, requesting that the condition of mandatory passport for devotees seeking to cross the Corridor be waived off to facilitate the pilgrimage to the historic Gurdwara located in Pakistani territory. In his letter to Rajnath Singh, the Chief Minister has requested the Modi Government to put in place a simple procedure which would facilitate “khulle darshan deedar” of Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, in keeping with the traditional Sikh Ardas (prayer). Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said Captain Amarinder has, in his letter, suggested to the Central Government that any other valid government document such as the Aadhar card, may be used in place of Passport for identification to enable maximum pilgrims to visit the sacred Gurdwara Sahib. The Government of India should also create adequate infrastructure at the border crossing to handle the large number of pilgrims who would want to use the Corridor for darshan of Kartarpur Sahib. The land proposed to be acquired should factor in both present and future requirements, the Chief Minister added. Noting that the Ministry of Home Affairs must be currently engaged in working out the operational modalities of the Kartarpur Corridor to be opened as part of 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji in 2019, Captain Amarinder also suggested that the system to be applied should also provide for both, day-to-day prayers and "Akhand and Sehaj Paths" which the devotees may like to undertake at Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. The Chief Minister has urged the Home Minister to favourably consider these requests in the interests of the pilgrims.