India to build corridor from Gurdaspur to International Border to facilitate Sikh pilgrims

India will build and develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Sikh pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river in Pakistan, home minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

New Delhi will also also request Islamabad to recognise the sentiments of the Sikh community and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory as well.

"In a landmark decision, the Cabinet approves building and development of Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to International Border. Kartarpur corridor project with all modern amenities and facilities to be implemented with Central Government funding," he said in a series of tweets.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday was also briefed about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir where the governor has dissolved the state assembly, finance minister Arun Jaitley said.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Jaitley said, "Though Jammu and Kashmir was not on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting, members of the Cabinet were briefed about the situation."

The governor abruptly dissolved the state assembly on Wednesday night, hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival NC and the Congress.

This was followed by another bid from the two-member People's Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties