On 26 November 2018, the foundation stone was laid down on the Indian side by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi; two days later, then Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan did the same for the Pakistani side. The corridor was completed for the 550th anniversary of the birth ofGuru Nanak, on 12 November 2019.[13] Khan said "Pakistan believes that the road to prosperity of region [sic] and bright future of our coming generation lies in peace", adding that "Pakistan is not only opening the border but also their hearts for the Sikh community".[14][15] Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi compared the decision by the two countries to go ahead with the corridor tothe fall of theBerlin Wall in November 1989, saying that the project could help in easingtensions between the two countries.[16][17]
Previously, Sikh pilgrims from India had to travel toLahore to get to Kartarpur, a 125 kilometres (78 miles) journey, even though people on the Indian side of the border could seeGurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur from the Indian side, where an elevated observation platform was constructed.[18][19][20]
On 17 November 2021, the Kartarpur Corridor re-opened after over a year and a half of closure due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Both India and Pakistan have allowed citizens to visit theGurdwara on the condition that they carry both a negative COVID-19 test and are fully vaccinated.[21][22] Following the2025 Pahalgam attack and theensuing crisis, Indian authorities indefinitely suspended corridor services on 7 May 2025.[23][24]
Thefirst guru ofSikhism,Guru Nanak, founded Kartarpur in 1504CE on the right bank of theRavi River and established the first Sikh commune there. Following his death in 1539, Hindus and Muslims both claimed him as their own and raised mausoleums in his memory with a common wall between them. The changing course of the Ravi River eventually washed away the mausoleums. A new habitation was formed, representing the present-dayDera Baba Nanak on the left bank of the Ravi river.[25][26][27][28]
After the 1947partition of India, the region was divided between India and Pakistan. TheRadcliffe Line awarded theShakargarh tehsil on the right bank of the Ravi River, including Kartarpur, to Pakistan, and theGurdaspur tehsil on the left bank of Ravi to India.[29][30] In 1948, theAkali Dal demanded that India should acquire the land of the gurdwaras inNankana Sahib and Kartarpur. The demands persisted till 1959, but the Punjab state government controlled by theIndian National Congress advised against any modification of the boundary fixed by theRadcliffe Award.[31]
For many years following partition, Indian Sikhs could visit Kartarpur informally by crossing the Jassar bridge (32°02′57″N74°59′33″E / 32.04923°N 74.99242°E /32.04923; 74.99242) on the Ravi river, as border controls between the two countries were not strictly enforced until 1965.[32] The bridge was destroyed by Pakistani forces during theIndo-Pakistan war of 1965 to inhibit potential Indian advances,[33][34] and border controls became more tightly regulated.
In 1969, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi promised to approach the Pakistani government for a land-swap so that Kartarpur Sahib could become part of India;[31] however, none of this materialised. In September 1974, a protocol was agreed between India and Pakistan for visits to religious shrines.[35] Around 2005, the protocol was updated by increasing the number of visits and the number of sites.[36] However, Kartarpur was not among the sites included in the 1974protocol. According to the IndianMinistry of External Affairs, India had requested its inclusion but this was not agreed to by Pakistan.[37][38]
Gobind Singh, the caretaker of the gurdwara at Kartarpur, said the gurdwara had "remained shut from 1947 to 2000".[39] The gurdwara had no staff, despite receiving pilgrims, and entrance was restricted. The Pakistani government started repairing the shrine in September 2000 ahead of the anniversary of Guru Nanak's death and formally reopened it in September 2004.[40] The Kartarpur Corridor mission was initially started by Bhabishan Singh Goraya, who pursued the cause for 24 years.[41]
According to Akali leader Kuldeep Singh Wadala, the gurdwara had been abandoned till 2003. It served as a cattle shed for the villagers and its lands were taken over byshare-croppers.[31] Since 2003, however, the Pakistani government has reportedly taken initiatives for the upkeep of Sikh religious shrines.[42]
SriDera Baba Nanak Sahib, in the Indian town of Dera Baba Nanak
During the tenure of Prime MinistersNawaz Sharif andAtal Bihari Vajpayee, the opening of Kartarpur border crossing was first discussed in 1998. After further discussions during the1999 bus diplomacy, Pakistan renovated the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara, and made it available for viewing from the Indian border.[43][44] The tensions arising from theKargil War had effectively destroyed India–Pakistan relations. However, it was reported that GeneralPervez Musharraf gave a 'green signal' for constructing a corridor, according to the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chairman Lt.-Gen. Javed Nasir.[45]
Manmohan Singh, during his firstterm as the prime minister of India, also tabled the issue in a speech in Punjab in 2004.[11][12][46] The 'composite dialogue process' between India and Pakistan initiated in 2004 also discussed access to Kartarpur via an Amritsar–Lahore–Kartarpur road link.[43]
In 2008, the Indian foreign ministerPranab Mukherjee raised with his Pakistani counterpartShah Mehmood Qureshi the idea of "visa-free travel" to Kartarpur.[11][38][47] There was apparently no official response, but privately, Pakistan began to express its openness to the Sikh community.[42][48][49] However, even up to 2012, the Indian government had no response.[38] The hostility between the countries was apparently to blame.[37][47]
On 20 June 2008, at a press conference in Dera Baba Nanak arranged by Akali leader Kuldeep Singh Wadala,John W. McDonald, a former American ambassador and founder of Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, called for "a peace corridor, a peace zone" connecting shrines on both sides of the border.[50][51] On 28 June 2008, the Indian foreign minister at the time,Pranab Mukherjee, said that the Indian government would carry out a feasibility study for the peace corridor.[52][53] However, since the2008 Mumbai attacks took place, the relations between India and Pakistan nosedived and the initiative faltered. Members of the Sikh community in Washington DC worked with the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy to carry out an independent feasibility study.[50] In August 2010, their report titled "Kartarpur Marg" was released by Surinder Singh and the Institute.[54][55] According to the report, the cost of the corridor would be 17 million US dollars, which theSikh diaspora agreed to raise.[56][57] The report had said that it would cost Pakistan $14.8 million and India $2.2 million.[58] In November 2010, the Punjab state legislative assembly unanimously passed a resolution in favour of an international passage between the two sites and forwarded it to the Indian Union government on 1 October 2010.[59]
In August 2018, the then Indian Punjab tourism ministerNavjot Singh Sidhu attended the Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan'sinaugural ceremony where he was told by the Pakistan Army chiefQamar Javed Bajwa of Pakistan's willingness to open the Dera Baba Nanak–Kartarpur corridor on Guru Nanak's 550thbirth anniversary. Given the clear time frame, this set the ball rolling.[60][47]
In August 2018, another resolution related to the corridor in the Indian PunjabVidhan Sabha was moved by then chief ministerAmarinder Singh, which was passed unanimously.[61] Following this the government of Indian Punjab decided to approach the prime minister of India related to the opening of the corridor. On 30 October 2018, a group of Sikh Americans sought the Indian prime minister's help in opening the corridor.[62] In November 2018, theIndian Cabinet approved the plan to set up the corridor and appealed to Pakistan to do the same. The Pakistani foreign minister S. M. Qureshi responded by tweeting that Pakistan had "already conveyed to India" that it would open a corridor.[12][58]
In August 2019, India and Pakistan agreed to allow visa-free travel of Indian citizens to Kartarpur, but differences persisted about Indian consular officers being located at the site.[63]
On 24 October 2019, S.C.L. Das, Joint Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry from India and Pakistan Foreign Office Director General South Asia and SAARCMohammad Faisal met at Zero Point near Dera Baba Nanak in the border town of Gurdaspur to ink the memorandum of understanding. The signing of this agreement has paved the way for 5,000 Indian pilgrims to visit the holy site without a visa on a daily basis. Under the agreement, the pilgrims would come in the morning and return in the evening after visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.[64] Each visitor would be required to pay USD $20 as a service charge, which as per Pakistan Foreign Office's DG South Asia & SAARC Mohammad Faisal, would only cover one-third of the current operational cost. India however, had urged Pakistan to waive off the fees for pilgrims. In response, on 1 November 2019, Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan announced on Twitter that Sikh pilgrims coming from India for a pilgrimage to Kartarpur will not be charged any fee on the day of inauguration and on Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary on 12 November 2019.[65] The Pakistan government as a "special gesture" had also waived the passport requirement for Kartarpur pilgrims extending up to one year. However, the Indian government decided against availing "concessions" announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan.[66] The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that passport would be required per the agreement between the two countries.[67][68]
In October 2024, India and Pakistan renewed their agreement to enable pilgrims through the corridor for an additional five-year period.[69]
The Gurudwara complex will have an international standard hotel, hundreds of apartments, two commercial areas and two car parking lots, border facility area, a power grid station, tourist information centre and several offices. It also has a 13-bedded Medical Centre founded by Dr. Umair, a known physician of town.[70] Over 400 acres of land was acquired by thePakistani government to establish the main complex and its surrounding areas. The main complex has been expanded 10 times from its original 4 acres to 42 acres. The masterplan of the complex has been prepared with visitors from countries other than India in mind.[71][72]
In November 2018, foundation stones for the corridor were laid on the two sides of the border by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu respectively.[73][12][74]
Pakistan'sFrontier Works Organization constructed 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) of dedicated expressway, including an 800-metre (2,600 ft) bridge over theRiver Ravi. An immigration office was also constructed, andGurudwara Darbar Sahib premises was expanded to accommodate the incoming pilgrims.[75][76] The first phase of the construction of Kartarpur Corridor project was completed in early November 2019.[77]
An Art installation at Indian side of Kartarpur Corridor, at Dera Baba NanakEntrance of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor (or Nanak Marg) from Indian side of borderImmigration Terminal on Pakistan side
On 9 November 2019, Pakistani Prime MinisterImran 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.[81] Imran Khan received the pilgrims[82] and formally inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor by removing a curtain that was lifted by hot air balloons from a hugekirpan (dagger).[83] 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."[14][15]
Ahead of Guru Nanak's 550thPrakash Purab celebrations, the corridor was open on 9 November 2019, facilitating the firstJatha (batch) of more than 550 pilgrims to travel to the final resting place of Guru Nanak.[84] Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi welcomed the move and compared the decision for the corridor between the two countries to the fall of theBerlin Wall, saying that the project may help in easing tensions between the two countries.[16][17][85] 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."[86][87] Modi flagged off the pilgrimage and handed over the flag of the Jatha toJathedar of Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh.[88][89]
Under the leadership ofAkal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, the Jatha traveled through the corridor into Pakistan to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur.[90] The Indian Sikh delegation that included former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the thenIndian Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the then Tourism MinisterNavjot Singh Sidhu and actor-turned-politicianSunny 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 the then Pakistani Prime MinisterImran Khan.[91]
Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, speaking on the occasion, thanked both governments for corridor.[92] Navjot Singh Sidhu in his speech said that Prime Minister Khan had won the heart ofSikh community by opening the corridor. He mentioned thatAlexander 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.[91] 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.[93] Poetry about Guru Nanak fromAllama Iqbal'sBang-e-Dara was also read byformer PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and also by Pakistani speakers at inauguration.[94][95][96]
In November 2019, media reported that Indian security agencies had spotted allegedJeM terrorist training camp in the Narowal district, where the gurdwara is located.[97] TheForeign Office of Pakistan rebutted the Indian claims as baseless propaganda.[98][99]
In 2019, in a criticized act,[100] anunexploded bomb was placed on display inside the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara premises with an accompanying banner alleging that theIndian Air Force had dropped this bomb during the1971 Indo-Pakistani war on the gurdwara in an attempt to destroy it.[101] The Sikh pilgrims voiced their sentiments against any "dirty politics" in the name of the Guru.[102]
An unexploded bomb placed inside Gurdwara Darbar Sahib KartarpurBomb Banner inside Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur
The corridor does not require a visa to use, but an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) document is required, which can be obtained by registering an application at a dedicated website of the Indian government.[103] Even with a USD$20 fee waiver for all for two days i.e. 9 and 12 November, initial turnout was low due to the complicated booking process and the fact that many Indian citizens lack passports.[104][105]Aam Aadmi Party,[106] BJPIndore MPShankar Lalwani,[107] The formerDSGMC president[108] andSGPC demanded that the Indian government simplify the process.[109]
Lahore-based historianFakir S. Aijazuddin said the corridor is a "unique experiment" in cross-border ties between India and Pakistan.[111] The corridor has been described as Guru Nanak's legacy project depicting his way of living life.[112] A special episode was dedicated to the corridor in the Hindi TV seriesKullfi Kumarr Bajewala.[113]Sunny Deol stated that the corridor would help maintain peace between India and Pakistan.[114][115] Many Sikh pilgrims credited Pakistani PM Imran Khan and former Indian Punjab minister Sidhu for the corridor's opening.[102] TheState Department of the United States also welcomed the opening of the corridor.[116]
After visiting the Pakistani side in February 2020Antonio Guterres, theUnited Nations Secretary-General, called it the "symbol of interfaith harmony" and "a corridor of hope, connecting two key Sikh pilgrimage sites."[117]
RailTel Corporation of India launched the free RailWire Wi-Fi service to pilgrims at Dera Baba Nanak railway station and Integrated Check Post.[118]Jalandhar based Republic Motors provided six campus electric carts for travel of pilgrims from Integrated Check Post (ICP) to zero point.[119] On 8 November 2019, Delhi CMArvind Kejriwal announced that theGovernment of Delhi will bear all expenses and cost of Kartarpur Sahib pilgrimage under Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana.[120][121]
There are several other proposals for opening of similar visa-free corridors to Sikh religious and historic places that are situated within 4 kilometers of international borders.
Corridor to Gurudwara Chhevin Patshahi SriGuru Hargobind Sahib at Padhana village near Lahore.[123][124]
There has been a request by theKashmiri Pandit community for a corridor allowing them to visit theSharada Peeth temple.[125] In March 2019, Pakistani media reported that Pakistan is exploring the possibility of a corridor for Indian pilgrims, and may be close to approving a plan.[126] However, the Pakistani government has since said that a decision has not been made.[127]
^"Pakistan opens visa-free border crossing for India Sikhs".gulfnews.com. 9 November 2019.Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved5 May 2022.Kartarpur, Pakistan: The prime ministers of India and Pakistan inaugurated on Saturday a visa-free border crossing for Sikh pilgrims from India, allowing thousands of pilgrims to easily visit a Sikh shrine just inside Pakistan each day.
^Sevea, Iqbal."The Kartarpur Corridor: Symbolism, Politics and Impact on India-Pakistan Relations"(PDF).Institute of South Asia Studies – National University of Singapore.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved14 November 2019.The corridor is a border crossing that will connect two important Sikh shrines – Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in India and Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan – and provide access for Sikh pilgrims from Indian Punjab to Pakistani Punjab.
^"India pilgrims in historic trip to Pakistan temple". 9 November 2019.Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved5 May 2022.The Kartarpur corridor leads from the border straight to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, 4km (2.5 miles) away.
^"Pakistan opens corridor to one Sikhism's holiest shrines".Catholic News in Asia | LiCAS.news | Licas News. 11 November 2019.Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved5 May 2022.It leads from the Pakistan-Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur the site where Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak settled after his missionary work and where he spent the last 18 years of his life.
^"Kartarpur Corridor agreement signed between Pakistan, India".Dunya News. 14 February 2008.Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved14 November 2019.The objective of this Agreement is to facilitate visa-free travel of Pilgrims from India to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan and back to India, through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
^"Pakistan, India sign deal on visa-free corridor for Sikh pilgrims".France 24. 24 October 2019.Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved14 November 2019.The deal allows for a secure corridor and bridge between the two countries, leading directly to the grave of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak, just four kilometres (two miles) from the Indian border.
^Jha, Rival Versions of History 1996, p. 81: Mountbatten sent a query to the Secretary of State for India, Lord Listowell, asking what 'other factors' might mean. Listowell... replied that these were entirely for the Punjab Boundary Commissioners to decide. However, he said, "other factors must include the location of Sikh shrines'. This looks very much like a directive to the Radcliffe Commission. Sir Cyril certainly paid heed to it, but not unduly at Pakistan's expense."
^abcParliamentary Debates: Official Report, Council of States Secretariat, 2012, p. 63: "In 2005, Government had proposed to Pakistan the inclusion of Kartarpur Sahib in the list of shrines under the bilateral 'Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines-1974. During the meeting between External Affairs Minister and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on June 27, 2008 it was also proposed to Pakistan side that a stall (?) team from India could visit Pakistan to discuss the modalitics for visa free travel through a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. However, no response has been received from Pakistan side till date."
^Eddie Walsh (23 August 2011)."Bridging the Sikh Divide".The Diplomat.Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved11 December 2018.
^Singh, Surinder (8 August 2010).Kartarpur Marg. Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy.ISBN9780615400044.Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved12 December 2020.
^ab"We have come to pray, won't tolerate any political propaganda: Sikh pilgrims in Kartarpur".The Indian Express. 12 November 2019.Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved16 November 2019.While many praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, whom they credited for the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, they were all unequivocal in their sentiments that there should not be any "dirty politics" in the Guru's name.
^"US welcomes Kartarpur corridor opening".Khaleej Times.Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved14 November 2019.The State Department welcomes the opening of a new border crossing between India and Pakistan, the Kartarpur corridor. We see this as a positive example of neighbours working together for mutual benefit. The newly opened corridor is a step towards promoting greater religious freedom
Imran Khan
Narendra Modi
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