Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 4

Authorities on Saturday withdrew a proposal to suspend passenger flight operations at Srinagar airport for two days every week, reversing a plan that had sparked concerns over travel disruption and its potential impact on Kashmir’s tourism industry during the peak summer season.

The decision means the airport will remain operational throughout the week.

However, flight operations will continue under reduced daily operating hours between 8 am and 5 pm until October to facilitate runway maintenance.

The rollback followed representations by the Jammu and Kashmir government and tourism stakeholders, who had warned that the proposed closure on Mondays and Tuesdays would disrupt connectivity, reduce flight availability and push up airfares at a time when the Valley is witnessing one of its busiest tourist seasons.

“There will be no full airfield closure at Srinagar Airport this year,” an airport spokesperson said in a statement. “Airport operations will continue on all days with operational and watch hours from 8 am to 5 pm. Night closures for runway maintenance will continue until October 2026.”

The spokesperson said the earlier Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which had proposed complete runway closure on Mondays and Tuesdays, was being withdrawn.

“Airlines will continue to update their schedules in accordance with the prevailing operational timings. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights with the respective airlines before proceeding to the airport,” the statement said.

Srinagar airport is one of the busiest airports in northern India and serves as the primary air gateway to Kashmir. While passenger terminal operations are managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the runway is under the operational control of the Indian Air Force.

The proposed closure had drawn concern from the tourism industry, which feared that reducing flight availability during the summer season would lead to cancellations, higher fares and inconvenience for visitors and residents alike.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the decision, thanking Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu for responding to the concerns raised by the Union Territory government.

“Grateful to the Defence Minister and the Civil Aviation Minister for acceding to our request and suspending the airport closure order,” Abdullah said in a post on X. “This closure had created a lot of difficulties for regular travellers and forced tour groups and tourists to cancel planned visits.”

The Chief Minister said that uninterrupted air connectivity was critical to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, particularly during the tourism season, when the Valley receives thousands of visitors each day.

He said the proposed closure would have affected not only tourists but also business travellers, patients, students and residents who rely heavily on air travel due to the region’s geography and weather-related disruptions on road links.

Abdullah said his government had taken up the matter with the Centre to safeguard the interests of passengers, the tourism industry and the local economy.

Tourism industry representatives also welcomed the decision, describing it as a significant relief for the sector.

Farooq Kuthoo, president of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), said tourism stakeholders had repeatedly urged the authorities to avoid a complete airport shutdown during the peak travel season.

“We appreciate the Centre for positively addressing the concerns raised by tourism stakeholders and the Jammu and Kashmir government regarding the proposed runway closure,” Kuthoo said. “This decision provides much-needed relief to the tourism industry.”

Industry representatives had warned that reducing flight operations for two full days each week would have resulted in cancelled itineraries, logistical difficulties for tour operators and additional costs for travellers.

Frequent flyers also expressed relief after the announcement.

Sarfaraz Pumposh, a Srinagar resident who regularly travels by air, said maintaining daily operations would spare passengers considerable inconvenience.

“Many people have to travel at short notice for work, medical treatment or family emergencies,” he said. “A two-day weekly shutdown would have created serious problems for passengers and also affected tourism.”

Although the airport will continue operating every day, the restricted flying window means airlines will have to adjust schedules around the available operational hours until runway maintenance is completed later this year.

Airport authorities have advised passengers to verify flight timings with their respective airlines as schedules may continue to change in line with operational requirements during the maintenance period.