Not lagging behind, corridor work on course, claims MEA

New Delhi, July 11

Ahead of talks with Pakistan on the Kartarpur corridor, the government on Thursday sought to dismiss “misconceptions” that India has been slow in completing its side of the corridor that is set to be thrown open to Sikh pilgrims in November to mark the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India was fully committed to the project. “We want the project to be expeditiously completed. We are aware that it involves the sentiments of the people, the sentiments of the pilgrims who are to visit Kartarpur.” On the two important infrastructure projects being undertaken by India, a passenger terminal and a four-lane highway that will connect the zero point of the corridor to the highway, the spokesperson said: “They are ongoing and we are hopeful that work on these two projects will be completed in time, one by September, 2019 and toerh by October 2019.”

“So the reports which say that we are slow in terms of finishing our project, it is not the correct definition,” he added. — IANS