Pakistan moots bridge to connect trans-Ravi gurdwaras

As part of its peace efforts, Pakistan has proposed to build a bridge over the Ravi river to connect the Sikh community's two gurdwaras located in Narowal district of Pakistan and Batala in India, media reported citing a source.

If the proposal is approved by India, Sikh pilgrims will find it easier to move between Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur at Narowal in the Punjab province of Pakistan and Dera Baba Nanak Dev Jee gurdwara at Batala in India, the News International reported Sunday citing the source.

Pakistan's Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, the driving force behind this proposal, approached Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and persuaded him to float this proposal.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is about 140 km from Lahore and 180 km from Nankana Sahib.

Kartarpur, a historic and sacred place, is located just three km away from the Indian border in the north-eastern city of Narowal in the Pakistani province of Punjab.

According to the Sikh Foundation International online, the original resting place of Guru Nanak was washed away by floods of the Ravi river and the present gurdwara was rebuilt in its place at a cost of Rs.1,35,600, from funds donated by Sardar Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala.

It was later repaired by the Pakistani government in 1995.