Lahore, September 8

Pakistan has started the construction of a Cultural Theme Park at Kartarpur Corridor (Gurdwara Darbar Sahib) in Punjab province to woo more pilgrims to the revered place of worship for the Sikhs.

The foundation stone for the project was laid by the country’s caretaker federal religious minister Aneeq Ahmad during his visit to the Karatarpur Sahib on Thursday. He also met visiting Sikh Yatrees from India and asked them about facilities at the gurdwara.

The theme park was launched by the Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur Corridor in collaboration with a private company.

Homeland Group’s Iqbal Sindhu told PTI on Friday that the first phase of the project will be completed in six months. However, the total project will see its completion in three years.

“In the first phase, restaurants, food street, play area, cultural music arena, and shops of the Cultural Theme Park will be completed and opened for the visiting pilgrims,” Sidhu said.

Beyond housing joy land attractions, rides for families and children, food streets, restaurants, and heritage shops, the park will boost up an array of enticing features which include a Water Park, Mini Zoo, Heritage Club, Regional Sports Centre, Heritage Village, Cottages & Resorts, and even a circus, he said.

The corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, by then prime minister Imran Khan as part of the commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

The 4 km-long Kartarpur Corridor provides visa-free access to Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. Sikhism founder Baba Guru Nanak lived and died at this gurdwara at the start of the 16th century.