india

Updated: Mar 13, 2019 15:39 IST

India and Pakistan will hold talks regarding the finalisation of the draft agreement on the Kartarpur corridor on Thursday, March 14. A delegation from Pakistan is scheduled to arrive in India India today to “discuss and finalise modalities for facilitating visit of pilgrims” through the Kartarpur corridor.

Last week on Thursday, Raveesh Kumar, the external affairs ministry spokesperson, tweeted that a a follow-up meeting “can beheld in Pakistan, as required”.

The meeting is expected to take place on the Indian side of the Wagah-Attari border. Among the numerous things that the two sides will discuss will be the modalities and coordinates for the crossing point of the corridor on the international border as well as an agreement that will allow Indian pilgrims to travel without visas to visit the Gurdwara.

Last year, the two sides had announced plans to build the corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak in India with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

The government of India has planned various activities to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikh guru Guru Nank Dev. As part of that, the ministry of home affairs has begun the development of a state-of-the-art passenger terminal building (PTB) - with its design inspired by the Khanda symbol - at Kartarpur sahib corridor.

The government has also identified 50 acres of land for the Kartarpur corridor, the development of which will take place in two phases.

In the first phase, 15 acres of land will be developed, which will include the passenger terminal building. The government is aiming to complete the first phase of the PTB before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

As many as 54 immigration counters will be set up for processing of up to 5,000 pilgrims per day at the PTB.

The second phase will see the development of a viewer gallery and restaurant atop a watch tower, a 5-bedded hospital, accommodation for around 300 pilgrims, and transit accommodation.