Gurdaspur first Punjab district under complete blackout from tonight

As tensions between India and Pakistan continued to escalate on Thursday, Punjab’s strategic border district of Gurdaspur has been put under complete night-time blackout from tonight.

In a significant civilian precautionary measure, the first in the state since the cross-border escalation after Operation Sindoor was launched against Pakistani terror targets on May 7, the Gurdaspur deputy commissioner issued a notice announcing a complete blackout would be observed across the district from 9pm to 5am daily until further notice.

Hospitals and the central jail are exempt from the blackout but they must ensure windows and doors remain closed to prevent light leakage, the notice said.

The directive urged all residents and commercial establishments to strictly comply with the blackout order and ensure no external lighting is visible during the stipulated hours.

Gurdaspur, located in the heart of the Bari Doab between the Beas and Ravi rivers, is the district where Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir meet. It is the gateway to Jammu and beyond to the Kashmir Valley. It also serves as the entry point to Kangra valley, where two major dams, Ranjit Sagar on the Ravi and Pong on the Beas, are situated.

Till August 17, 1947, it was assumed that Gurdaspur district would be in Pakistan territory. But for a last minute change by Sir Cyrill Radcliffe, who drew the map of the Partition of India, and the delayed announcement of the award of territories by Governor General Mountbatten, the highly strategic district remained with India.