Kartarpur Corridor likely to reopen soon, says BJP leader

AMRITSAR: The Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free pilgrimage route connecting India with Pakistan, is likely to reopen soon, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Tarun Chugh has said.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Amritsar, Chugh said the corridor had been closed due to “technical reasons” and expressed hope that it would resume operations soon, according to Indian media reports.

Chugh was in Amritsar with newly appointed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon. The two leaders visited several religious and historical sites, including the Golden Temple, Durgiana Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, before addressing a press conference at the BJP district office.

The Kartarpur Corridor links Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Punjab province with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, allowing Sikh pilgrims from India to visit the sacred shrine without obtaining a conventional visa.

The corridor was indefinitely suspended by Indian authorities on May 7, 2025, following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent military tensions between India and Pakistan.

Chugh’s latest remarks are the first indication from a senior Indian political leader that the corridor could resume operations in the near future. However, no specific reopening date has been announced.

The BJP leader also addressed India-Pakistan trade relations, saying that India does not conduct trade with Pakistan due to security concerns, while Afghan goods continue to transit through the Attari-Wagah route.