Kartarpur Corridor Closed After Indian Strikes Under ‘Operation Sindoor’

In the wake of a retaliatory military operation named ‘Operation Sindoor’, India temporarily shut down the Kartarpur Corridor on May 7, 2025. The corridor, which enables visa-free access for Indian pilgrims to visit the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, was suspended for the day as security measures were heightened following Indian missile strikes on terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Why in News?

The Kartarpur Corridor was shut down for a day on May 7, 2025, following India’s military strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. The strikes came in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, that killed 26 civilians. This move disrupted the routine pilgrimage of Sikh devotees to the holy site of Guru Nanak Dev in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Background and Aim of the Kartarpur Corridor

• The Kartarpur Corridor, inaugurated on November 9, 2019, commemorates the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
• It is a visa-free border corridor facilitating Indian pilgrims’ visits to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, which is 3–4 km from the India-Pakistan border.
• The corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor – What Happened?

• Indian Armed Forces launched precision missile strikes on May 7, 2025 under Operation Sindoor.
• Targets included terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke.
• The operation was a response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.

Impact of the Corridor Shutdown

• Pilgrims arriving at the Dera Baba Nanak terminal were asked to return.
• All travel through the corridor was halted for the day, causing inconvenience to many.
• Authorities cited security concerns in the aftermath of cross-border military activity.

Static Facts

• Location: Gurdaspur district, Punjab, India
• Final Resting Place: Guru Nanak Dev at Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur
• Daily Pilgrim Limit (as per India-Pakistan agreement): 5,000 pilgrims
• Visa Requirement: No visa required, only permit and passport needed