Ravi River Water Levels Rise: Kartarpur Corridor Closed Temporarily

Due to heavy rainfall in the Jammu region, 2.8 cusecs of water was released into the Ujh river, which flows into the Ravi river at Makora Pattan in Gurdaspur district. Additionally, water was also released from the Ranjit Sagar Dam. As a result, the water level in the Ravi river rose, causing it to overflow and breach an embankment in neighboring Pakistan.

The rising waters of the Ravi river inundated the Zero Line at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, leading to the suspension of the pilgrimage through the Kartarpur Corridor for three days starting Thursday. The Kartarpur Corridor allows Sikhs to visit the Sikh shrine in Pakistan without a visa.

Zero Line Submerged

Villagers in the area noticed that the Zero Line had submerged early on Thursday morning. Farmers who cultivate land beyond the barbed fence reported damage to their crops due to the floodwater. While the Dhussi Bundh on the Indian side managed to prevent the water from flooding Indian territory, authorities in Gurdaspur district and the Border Security Force remain vigilant to prevent any breaches that could affect the historic Dera Baba Nanak town and its surrounding villages.

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Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ashwani Arora visited the Zero Line to assess the situation and review measures to prevent further complications.

On a regular day, pilgrims visit the check-post at Dera Baba Nanak to access Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, located 5km across the Ravi river in Pakistan through the Kartarpur Corridor, which was inaugurated in 2019 on the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. However, due to the rising water levels and potential risks, authorities from both countries decided to suspend the passage through the corridor for three days, ensuring the safety of the pilgrims.

The closure of the Kartarpur Corridor serves as a precautionary measure to avoid any potential dangers caused by the flooding of the Ravi river. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the people and take necessary actions to prevent any adverse impact on the region.