page_title: Kartarpur Corridor
section_title: Inauguration
hierarchical_section_title: Kartarpur Corridor / Inauguration
caption_attribution_description: English: The art- installation at Indian side of Kartarpur Corridor , Dera Baba Nanak . It contains Rabab (music) Book ( Shabad) and Ang Ik omkar (main chaint) .These symbols represents thought of Baba Nanak and Sikhism .Rabab 5.25 ft long is made of copper and 4 other metals. Ik onkar is written with stainless steel.It rotates in one round in 1 mintue . The Concept- sculpture-installation is designed by the artist Swarnjit Singh Savi
context_page_description: The Kartarpur Corridor is a visa-free border crossing and secure corridor, connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to the border with India. The crossing allows Sikh devotees from India to visit the gurdwara in Kartarpur, 4.7 kilometres from the India–Pakistan border on the Pakistani side without a visa. However Pakistani Sikhs are unable to use the border crossing, and cannot access Dera Baba Nanak on the Indian side without first obtaining an Indian visa or unless they work there.
  The Kartarpur Corridor was first proposed in early 1999 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan respectively, as part of the Delhi–Lahore Bus diplomacy.
  On 26 November 2018, the foundation stone was laid down on the Indian side; two days later, on 28 November 2018, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan did the same for the Pakistani side. The corridor was completed for the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on 12 November 2019.
context_section_description: On 9 November 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan, inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor at a ceremony that was held in Gurdwara Darbar Sahib complex, Kartarpur and around 12,000 pilgrims were present on this ceremony. Imran Khan received the pilgrims and formally inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor by removing a curtain that was lifted by hot air balloons from a huge kirpan (dagger). On the occasion, Prime Minister Khan said "Pakistan believes that the road to prosperity of region  [sic] and bright future of our coming generation lies in peace, saying that today (9 November 2019) Pakistan is not only opening the border but also their hearts for the Sikh community."
  Ahead of Guru Nanak's 550th Prakash Purab celebrations the Kartarpur corridor, connecting Sri Darbar Sahib Dera Baba Nanak in India's Punjab with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur was thrown open on 9 November 2019 facilitating the first Jatha (batch) of more than 550 pilgrims to travel to the last resting place of Guru Nanak. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, welcomed the move and compared the decision for the corridor between the two countries to the fall of the Berlin Wall, saying that the project may help in easing tensions between the two countries. During the inauguration speech, he also said, "I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Niazi for respecting the sentiment of India." Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the pilgrimage and handed over the flag of the Jatha to Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh.
  Under the leadership of Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, the Jatha traveled through the corridor into Pakistan to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. The Indian Sikh delegation that included former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Indian Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol arrived through Kartarpur Corridor to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak and attended the inauguration ceremony on the special invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Khan.
  Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, speaking on the occasion, thanked both governments for corridor. Navjot Singh Sidhu in his speech said that Prime Minister Khan had won the heart of Sikh community by opening the corridor. He mentioned that Alexander III of Macedon won the heart of people by fighting, while Khan won hearts of many Sikhs around the world by giving access to their holy land Kartarpur. Earlier, however, the Indian government's denial of political clearance to Sidhu to visit Pakistan for the Kartarpur inauguration had snowballed into a last-moment controversy. Poetry about Guru Nanak from Allama Iqbal's Bang-e-Dara was also read by former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and also by Pakistani speakers at inauguration.
caption: The art installation at Indian side of Kartarpur Corridor , Dera Baba Nanak
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