- Flight operations at Srinagar airport will close twice weekly for runway maintenance from July 1 to September.
- Flight suspensions will occur every Monday and Tuesday during the maintenance period.
- The runway is undergoing maintenance for the first time since 2011 to ensure safety and expansion.
Flight operations at Srinagar airport will face major disruptions as the authorities have decided to close the airport twice a week for three months and completely shut down airport operations for another 15 days in October. Officials say essential maintenance of the runway has necessitated the closure of flight operations.
The partial closure of the airport will start from July 1 to September 30. From October 1, flight operations will remain completely suspended for a fortnight.
The airport will remain completely shut for flights for a fortnight from when the repair work on the central part of the runway is taken up.
Javed Anjum, Airport Director, said the passenger flight operations will be suspended on Monday and Tuesday every week in the months of July, August and September to carry out repair maintenance and expansion of the runway. He said a complete suspension of flight operations will start on October 1 when work on the central part of the runway will be carried out.
"It's after a gap of 15 years maintenance of runway is being carried out. Last time it was in 2011. For three months, flights will be suspended for two days a week. But when work on the central part of the runway is taken up, no flight operations will be possible during that time. So, all the flight operations are suspended from Srinagar airport between October 1 to October 15," said Mr Anjum.
Earlier, a NOTAM, or notice to airmen, by the Indian Air Force had already restricted flight operations at Srinagar Airport. According to the NOTAM, flights can operate between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. This has led to the suspension of all the late evening and early morning flights at Srinagar airport.
During the peak season, around 100 flights operate from Srinagar Airport, but due to restricted time of flight operations, the airport currently manages less than 40 flights daily.
Srinagar airport is a defence airport, and the Indian Air Force operates and maintains the runway.
Officials say the earlier plan was to shut the airport on Saturdays and Sundays between August 1 and October 15, but it's changed, and the timing of repair work was preponed, and instead of being weakened, it was decided to close flight operations on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The shutdown coincides with peak tourist season in Kashmir, which has been emerging from the shadow of last year's Pahalgam terrorist attack and the subsequent short war between India and Pakistan.
