Photo: Express
Lahore: More than 90% of the construction of the bridge on the Kartarpur Zero Line between Pakistan and India has been completed on the Pakistan side. It is expected that the construction of the first bridge between the two neighboring countries will be completed in the next few weeks.
Pakistan and India had decided to construct a bridge on the Kartarpur Zero Line for the convenience of Indian pilgrims coming for religious pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Saheb Kartarpur.
Due to the low-lying area of Zeroline, there is a risk of water coming here due to floods. At this time, Indian pilgrims come to Gurdwara Sahib via the Kartarpur Corridor. Both countries have installed gates on the zero line.
Pakistan started construction of the bridge in December 2021. The construction of the 420-meter long bridge was supposed to be completed in June 2022, but due to lack of funds and the political situation in Pakistan, the construction was stopped and resumed.
According to officials of Project Management Unit Kartarpur, more than 90 percent of the bridge construction work has been completed. The construction of the bridge is being done under the Public Development Fund which will cost Rs 453 million. Nespak and FWO are working on the bridge construction project.
The construction of the first bridge between Pakistan and India will facilitate the movement of Indian pilgrims. Pilgrims were prevented by India from coming to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur due to floods in the past few days.
Apart from this, PMU Kartarpur officials have said that neither Pakistan nor India can remove the ban on passports and $20 fee by Sikh pilgrims alone.
The two countries had signed the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement in October 2019, in which India had stipulated a passport, while Pakistan had set an entry fee of $20, which was signed by the officials of both countries.
Pakistan and India are bound to implement the agreement for five years. The agreement will be revised again next year.
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