During his meetings with Rajnath Singh and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Omar Abdullah suggested operating a limited number of civilian flights from Awantipora Air Base during the closure period to ensure continued connectivity for residents, tourists and businesses.
“Following my meetings…we are working on possible alternatives to minimise the disruption and maintain a basic flight schedule as was done in the past when the airport closed for similar reasons in 1998 and 2010,” said Abdullah.
Starting July, Srinagar International Airport will be closed every Monday and Tuesday until September 30.
The J&K government spokesperson said Abdullah underscored the importance of maintaining uninterrupted air connectivity to J&K, particularly during the peak autumn tourism season when the Valley attracts a large number of visitors from across the country.
While acknowledging that the resurfacing works are essential for operational safety, Abdullah expressed concern over the timing of the final phase of the project, which coincides with one of the busiest periods for the tourism sector.
The CM informed the Union Ministers that air services to the Valley have already been curtailed since April owing to the earlier phases of the resurfacing programme. He said a complete suspension of flights during the first half of October would adversely affect tourism, hospitality, transport, handicrafts and allied sectors that sustain thousands of livelihoods across J&K.Abdullah said the proposed closure could lead to large-scale travel disruptions and cancellations, causing inconvenience to residents and visitors while impacting business activity.
The CM requested that the Indian Air Force examine the possibility of shortening or phasing the final stage of the runway works without compromising safety or operational requirements.
In the event of a complete closure of Srinagar Airport becomes unavoidable, Abdullah said minimal civil flight operations, commensurate with the operational capacity of the Awantipora Air Base, in southern Kashmir may be permitted from the air base during the closure period to ensure essential air connectivity for the region.
He requested that contingency arrangements be explored in coordination with the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force to ensure continued air connectivity to the Valley in the event the closure remains unavoidable.
The CM emphasised that any alternative operational arrangement would require extensive inter-agency coordination and advance planning, and therefore needed to be initiated well ahead of the scheduled closure period.