Kartarpur Corridor: India Says Pakistan Insisting on Imposing $20 Fee on Pilgrims

Sources have indicated that if the opening is to be ‘on schedule,’ then India would have to agree to the fee clause in the agreement.

New Delhi: India on Thursday highlighted Pakistan’s insistence on levying a fee of $20 on pilgrims travelling through the Kartarpur Sahib corridor while at the same time assuring that it hoped that the agreement will be signed in time to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs had indicated that the agreement would be signed soon, with the online registration of pilgrims likely to begin from October 20.


A day later, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that after several rounds of discussions, “we have reached an agreement on all other issues, except the matter of service fee. Pakistan insists on levying a fee of $ 20 (approximately Rs, 1420) on all pilgrims”.

He added that India has urged Pakistan not to impose the fee “in the interests of devotees, and also because this is a people to people initiative”.

“We hope that the agreement can be concluded and signed in time for the great event,” added Kumar.

Also read: Kartarpur Corridor: India, Pakistan Differ on Protocol Officers, Pilgrim Service Fee

The spokesperson also stressed on India’s role in taking up the Kartarpur Sahib corridor initiative “to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji”.

Sources had indicated that India would have no choice but to sign the agreement with the pilgrim fee clause if the ceremonial opening of the corridor is to take place as scheduled. 

India had also asked for an Indian consular official to be posted at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. Pakistan has reportedly agreed to that in principle.

Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had agreed to opening the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, as part of his multi-pronged India outreach campaign. In New Delhi, the initiative to green light the project was seen with suspicion. India suspects that this could be an effort to revive Pakistan’s sponsorship of Khalistani terror groups. 

The corridor is also subject to domestic politics, with both the Congress government in Punjab and the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal attempting to take credit for the successful launch of the trans-border pilgrimage route.