Pilgrimage to Gurdwara through Kartarpur corridor suspended for 2 more days

Pilgrimage to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan through the Kartarpur corridor was on Saturday further suspended for the next two days because of rains.

The decision was taken following an on-ground assessment by Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Aggarwal along with senior officials of the Border Security Force (BSF).

On Thursday, the pilgrimage was suspended for three days due to the rising water level in the Ravi river.

The Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.

Rains lashed many parts of Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, leading to a rise in water levels of rivers.

Speaking to reporters in Dera Baba Nanak, Aggarwal said because of rains in the hilly areas and Gurdaspur, the water level in the Ravi river has risen by 20,000 cusecs from Friday.

He said he examined the area with BSF and Land Port Authority officials. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PWD) also assessed the condition of the roads, he added.

The DC said rains are expected in the hilly areas and in Punjab over the next two days.

If it rains in the hilly areas, the water will certainly reach here, Aggarwal said.

"We cannot take a risk with the safety and security of pilgrims," he said.

He said the Indian authorities have requested their Pakistani counterparts to get a safety assessment done in their area and let them know if everything is alright.

"We have not received their (Pakistan authorities) report yet. After we get an assurance from them, we can resume the pilgrimage," Aggarwal said.

"Therefore, we have decided that we will postpone the pilgrimage for the next two days," he said.

The Kartarpur corridor was opened in 2019 on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.