New Delhi, June 12 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday raised concerns with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu over the proposed closure of Srinagar International Airport from October 1 to 16 for the third phase of runway resurfacing works.
During separate meetings in New Delhi, Abdullah urged the Centre to review the closure schedule, saying the move could adversely affect tourism, business activity and public convenience during the peak autumn tourist season in Kashmir.
While acknowledging that the resurfacing work is essential for operational safety and respecting the assessment of the Indian Air Force, the chief minister expressed concern over the timing of the final phase, which coincides with one of the busiest periods for the Valley’s tourism industry.
Abdullah said air services to Kashmir have already been affected since April due to earlier phases of the project and warned that a complete suspension of flights in the first half of October could impact the tourism, hospitality, transport and handicrafts sectors, which support thousands of livelihoods in the Union Territory.
Highlighting the wider economic implications, he said the proposed closure could lead to travel disruptions, cancellations and inconvenience for both residents and tourists while affecting business activity during a crucial tourism season.
In his meeting with Singh, Abdullah requested that the Indian Air Force explore the possibility of shortening or phasing the final stage of the runway work without compromising safety or operational requirements.
He also suggested that if a complete closure of Srinagar Airport becomes unavoidable, limited civil flight operations could be allowed from the Air Force Station at Awantipora Air Base to maintain essential air connectivity.
The chief minister recalled that during runway resurfacing works in 2010, civil flights had operated from Awantipora under a coordinated arrangement involving the ministries of defence and civil aviation.
“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,” Abdullah said.
During his meeting with Naidu, Abdullah sought the civil aviation ministry’s intervention in discussions with the defence ministry to review the timing of the final phase of the project, including the possibility of shortening, phasing or shifting the closure to a less busy travel period.
He also called for contingency arrangements in coordination with the defence ministry and the Indian Air Force to ensure continued air connectivity to the Valley if the closure cannot be avoided.
The chief minister stressed that any alternative operational arrangement would require extensive inter-agency coordination and advance planning and should therefore be initiated well before the scheduled closure period.(NVI)
