Pakistan has completed over 80 per cent of the work on theKartarpur Corridor from the zero line to Gurdwara Sahib, a senior engineerworking on the project has said, as officials from India and Pakistan arescheduled to meet in a fortnight.
The engineer expressed hope to finish the remaining workbefore the assigned period of time, The Express Tribune reported.
His statement assumes significance as the next meetingbetween the officials of India and Pakistan is scheduled to take place on July14 on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border.
In New Delhi, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursdaythat India will try to resolve differences with Pakistan on issues relating thecorridor when the two sides hold talks.
According to the report, more than 80 per cent work on theKartarpur Corridor including the construction of the main road, bridge andbuildings from zero line to Gurdwara Sahib has been completed.
“We have to cement tiles and the order has already beenplaced. The work will start in 2-3 weeks,” engineer Kashif Ali said.
He said that the availability of a special kind of white marblewas a big challenge, as white marble has been used on the project in a largequantity.
Ali said that the construction of ‘langar khana’, ‘darshankhana’, administration block and washrooms has been completed by up 70-80 percent and now work on electricity wiring, gas connection and water lines wasbeing carried out.
The arch of building has been designed in a peculiar style,he said.
Ali said that a piece of agriculture land was being preparedat Gurudwara Sahib where ‘Nishan Sahib’ will be hoisted higher than ‘KhandaSahib’ at a height of 150 feet which will be clearly seen from India as well.
Besides, ‘Kunwan Sahib’ and ‘Aam ka Darakht’ (mango tree)already exist and engineers are working for their conservation.
Work on the parking area at border terminal and GurdwaraSahib has largely been completed and now plantation and landscaping continues,the report said.
The head of Gurdwara Sahib Kartarpur Sardar Goband Singhsaid that if the Sikh pilgrims are interested to visit Dera Baba Nanak, theycan arrive at ease as the construction of road, extension of Gurdwara Sahib,langar hall and two gates have been completed.
“I want to make it clear to Sikhs around the world thatnot a single brick has been touched. This building stands like Taj Mahal,”he said.
In November 2018, India and Pakistan agreed to set up aborder crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur – thefinal resting place of Guru Nanak – to Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’sGurdaspur district.
The Kartarpur corridor is expected to provide visa-freeaccess to Indian Sikh pilgrims to the gurdwara in Kartarpur Sahib — a smalltown in Narowal, four kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, where GuruNanak spent the last 18 years of his life.
Pakistan will build the corridor from the Indian border tothe Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, while the other part from Dera BabaNanak in Gurdaspur up to the border will be constructed by India.