Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Integrated Check Post of the historic Kartarpur corridor in Punjab’s Gurdaspur on Saturday ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 12.

Speaking on the occasion of the opening of the 4.5 kilometre-long Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara, PM Modi thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for respecting the sentiments of India.

“I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Niazi for respecting the sentiments of India,” the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi further said that he is fortunate to dedicate the Kartarpur corridor to the country.

“Today, on this holy land, I am feeling blessed. It is my good fortune that I am dedicating the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to the country today,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also congratulated all the Sikh brothers and sisters in the country and the world on the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor.

LIVE: PM Modi at Dera Baba Nanak, in Punjab. Watch at https://t.co/O6MZv8xCfb pic.twitter.com/Pn8jQ9lGv1

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 9, 2019

“The opening of the Integrated Check Post of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor ahead of the 550th Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev has brought double the happiness to all of us,” the PM said.

He added that Guru Nanak Dev is not only a part of Sikh and Indian heritage but an inspiration for the whole of humanity.

“Kartarpur was not only the place where Guru Nanak Dev spent most his life, but the smell of sweat of Guru Nanak Dev ji is found in every particle of Kartapur. His voice echoes in the air of Kartarpur,” PM Modi said.

Further in his address, the PM said that after the construction of the corridor, Gurudwara Darbar Sahib will become easily accessible to Sikh pilgrims.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Punjab Government, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and every partner that helped build the historic corridor in due time.

Prime Minister Narendra also flagged off the journey of the first ‘jattha’ of Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.

Ahead of the opening ceremony, PM Modi paid obeisance at a highly revered Sikh shrine Gurdwara Ber Sahib located along the banks of the holy ‘Bein’ at Sultanpur Lodhi which is connected with many events in the life of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, whose 550th ‘Prakash Purb’ (birth anniversary) falls on November 12.

Blessed morning at the Shri Gurudwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi. pic.twitter.com/1lpwHRZbLT

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2019

Then, on the way to inaugurate the historic corridor, the PM paid obeisance at the Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab.

He was accompanied by Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri and Akali Dal President, Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just about four km from the international border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab province.

On November 22, last year, just a day before the 549th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the Union Cabinet decided to build and develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to the international border for Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan.