India committed to early completion of Kartarpur Corridor project: MEA

India is committed towards early completion of the Kartarpur Corridor project and has asked Pakistan to show "flexibility" on charging fees as it is a sentimental matter for the pilgrims, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday. Responding to a question, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India hopes that the infrastructure projects on the Indian side gets completed in a time-bound manner.

READ: Manmohan Singh Accepts Punjab CM's Kartarpur Invite; Will Go To Pak

MEA hopes to complete Kartarpur Corridor at the earliest

"The four-lane highway has been completed and the state-of-the-art passenger terminal will be completed by October end," Kumar said.

READ: Pakistan Invites Dr Manmohan Singh For Kartarpur Corridor Inauguration

Kumar said India shared an agreement with Pakistan but it has not received a reply yet. "We requested them to show flexibility as it is a sentimental matter to us but they are insisting on the fees. We have not received a reply on it and we hope we receive a response soon," he told reporters. The Kartarpur Corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will only have to obtain a permit to visit the revered Kartarpur Sahib.

India had asked Pakistan to reconsider the decision on charging USD 20 per pilgrim and allow 10,000 pilgrims on special occasions and an Indian protocol officer to accompany the delegation that visits Kartarpur everyday. Answering a question on former prime minister Manmohan Singh agreeing to join the first all-party delegation to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara after the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, Kumar said the MEA has a limited role to play in the inauguration ceremony on the Indian side.

"It is mostly handled by state government and information on it would come from the people invited," Kumar said.

READ: Sikhs Meet PM Modi In Houston, Thank Him For Kartarpur Corridor

Manmohan Singh Accepts Punjab CM's Kartarpur Invite

Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh has accepted Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's invitation to attend the Kartarpur Corridor ceremony in Pakistan along with him. Even so, Dr Manmohan Singh has not responded to the invitation yet. 

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