A year after Operation Sindoor, the silence at Kartarpur Corridor deepens as devotees wait at Zero Line

The continued closure of the Kartarpur Corridor has drawn sharp criticism from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

3 min readAmritsarUpdated: May 7, 2026 06:38 PM IST

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Kartarpur Corridor, which connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Pakistan), the final resting place of the first Sikh Guru, with Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, has been closed since Operation Sindoor. (File)

It has been a year since India suspended the Kartarpur Corridor pilgrimage – the visa-free passage for Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Narowal district – “until further notice” following Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year.

On the day of the closure, nearly 150 Indian pilgrims had arrived at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) for the pilgrimage to the historic gurdwara but were asked to return home. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

Devotees still come to the Zero Line to have a glimpse of the shrine, which is situated a few kilometres inside Pakistan from the international border. A raised platform from where devotees could get a better view of the gurdwara was also damaged in the floods last year.

The closure has drawn sharp criticism from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body. On March 28, the SGPC formally passed a resolution in its annual budget session demanding the immediate reopening of the corridor.

SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan said, “The stand of the SGPC on the matter is crystal clear from the beginning – the corridor should be reopened at the earliest.” He, thereafter, remarked, “When cricket ties could be restored, then why not religious ones?”

The SGPC’s resolution stressed that the prolonged closure has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community worldwide.

Inaugurated on November 9, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the corridor allowed visa-free travel for up to 5,000 Indian pilgrims daily.

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Apart from the Kartarpur Corridor pilgrimage, the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border was also suspended in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.

The ceremony resumed in a limited capacity on May 20, 2025, without the usual handshakes and distribution of sweets.

The impact on the ceremony’s character has been profound. Now, audiences on both sides can no longer see each other, as the gates remain shut from start to finish.

Gone too is the synchronisation between BSF soldiers and Pakistani Rangers – the mirrored kicks, the eyeline locked across the Zero Line, the unspoken competitive tension that made the event uniquely gripping. Earlier, both sides would come within inches of the Zero Line during the intense parade, almost crossing it. Spectators could gauge who had the sharper drill that evening. Now, the Indian audiences watch only the BSF, and Pakistani audiences see only their Rangers.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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