In light of the looming threat of floods from the Ravi River, the district administration has made the decision to suspend operations at the Kartarpur corridor for a period of three days.
The current situation is deemed unsuitable for travel, prompting the temporary halt of the pilgrimage. Continuous monitoring of the situation is underway, as stated by an official.
Last night, the water levels rose to dangerous heights, prompting Himanshu Aggarwal, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur, to order the closure of the corridor for the day. While approximately 25 pilgrims arrived at Dera Baba Nanak this morning, they were informed that their plans would need to be put on hold. They were offered the option to view the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara through binoculars installed near the corridor or by standing atop the bridge that forms part of the corridor.
Subsequently, the Deputy Commissioner wrote to the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) to request permission for a three-day closure of the passage. This evening, the LPAI granted permission, leading to the closure of the corridor.
“Given the looming threat of floods, we have decided to put the pilgrimage on hold. The current situation is not suitable for travel. We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” stated an official.
While the floodwaters submerged the fields near the corridor, the residential areas and corridor building remain unaffected.
During a flood review meeting with officials in Gurdaspur, Health Minister Balbir Singh received reports of the corridor facing a potential threat. The Deputy Commissioner, Aggarwal, along with Dera Baba Nanak SDM Ashwani Arora, immediately rushed to the location.
The floodwaters had reached the periphery of the corridor. However, a temporary embankment constructed the previous night successfully prevented the waters from entering the main building.
On November 8, 2019, just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to inaugurate the corridor, floods wreaked havoc on the “tent city” situated approximately 4.5 km from the corridor’s location. The tent city was intended to accommodate individuals from various parts of India and even from abroad who had gathered for the inauguration. Unfortunately, heavy rainfall disrupted the plans, leaving the tent city deserted.
