Tent village set up to accommodate 10,000 Yatrees at Kartarpur complex: Project Director

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(Narowal), Nov 6 (APP):Project Director Frontier Works Organization (FWO) Brigadier Atif Majeed Wednesday said a tent village had been established at the newly built Kartarpur Corridor Complex to accommodate more than 10,000 Sikh Yatrees arriving here from different parts of the world to visit Gurdwara Baba Guru Nanak.

“A nine-marque village, fully equipped with all facilities, has been set up here to accommodate Sikh Yatrees arriving Pakistan, after getting visas from across the world, to visit the Gurdwara,” he briefed media persons here.

Besides, the Langar Khana, established inside the complex, had the capacity to house around 2,500 Yatrees, he said.

Sharing some details of the arrangements finalized for inauguration of the corridor on November 9, the project director said one-day pass would be issued to as many as 5,000 Sikh Yatrees coming from India, who would get two coupons after submitting $ 20 as entry fee per head for their daylong visit.

For the purpose, he said Federal Investigation Agency had established its counters for registration the Yatrees through biometric procedure.

Atif Majeed said the government had acquired around 800 acre land and handed over to the Gurdwara management as a gift from Pakistan. Out of which, he said, as many as 42 acre land had been allocated for construction of the Gurdwara complex and 62 acre land for the agriculture purpose to meet needs of the Langar Khana indigenously.

He said Ziarat White Marble and the best quality imported tiles had been used in construction of the complex, which was one of the unique features of the complex built in a record period of just 10 months.

The project director said a Museum had also been set up at the complex where pictures of Sikh community’s religious leaders were on display.

To extend better health services, he said, a 12-bed hospital had been established where all possible medical care would be ensured to the visiting Yatrees, in case of their ailment.

He said around 250 cameras had been installed to ensure foolproof security arrangements and effective monitoring of the complex, while 1,500 staffers were working there for facilitation of the Yatrees.

He said temporary shops had been set up keeping in view requirements of Sikh Yatrees, adding the shops depicted culture of all four provinces, adding a money exchange centre was also functioning there.

The project director said one-kilometer long bridge called “Zero Point”, connecting the two countries, had been constructed at the River Ravi under the corridor project.
He said second phase of the complex would start after inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor, under which markets, hotels and residential units would be established at around 150 acre land.

Meanwhile, a Sikh Yatree Sameera, who came from England, was happy to see the design and quality construction of the Complex and appreciated the Pakistani government for making elaborate arrangements to facilitate the faithful in performing their religious obligations.

“We feel like at home and the reception given by officials is unforgettable. We are thankful to Prime Minister Imran Khan for making entry into Pakistan easy and enabling Sikhs to visit their sacred places,” she said.

Another visitor from Australia Mandar Singh said “We were told not to visit due to security issue but reality is the other way as this is the safest place we have seen on the earth.”

He said the love and affection he got here could not be explained in words.

The whole complex has been decorated tastefully by planting trees and various kind of flowers.