Pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan through Kartarpur corridor suspended due to floods

Pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan through Kartarpur corridor suspended due to floods

Gurdaspur: Authorities in Punjab’s Gurdaspur on Thursday stopped pilgrims from travelling to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan through the Kartarpur corridor due to the rising water level in the Ravi.

Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said they had recommended to the government to suspend the pilgrimage for two days.

The decision had been taken keeping the safety of the pilgrims in mind, he said. The Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.

The water level in the Ravi river rose after 2.6 lakh cusecs of water was released in the Ujh river in Jammu on Wednesday.

However, Aggarwal said there is no threat to the Kartarpur corridor despite the rising water level in the river.

“We have recommended the suspension of pilgrimage for the next two days,” he told PTI over the phone. The official said water from the Pakistan side also flowed in near the Kartarpur corridor and the earthen embankment on Thursday morning.

He said they were collecting information on how the water flowed in from the Pakistan side. Aggarwal said the waterlogging does not pose any threat to the corridor.

He said the district administration was closely monitoring the situation. He said the pilgrimage would be resumed once the water level in the river receded.