Srinagar airport gears up to resume domestic flights amid Covid lockdown

at 4:39 pm

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Airport authorities in Srinagar are making necessary arrangements for maintaining social distancing norms and other Covid-19 protocols as domestic flight operations are expected to resume soon across the country.

Srinagar airport has decided to start with 40 per cent flight operations soon after the Centre’s nod.


Since March 20, all flight operations across the country and also at the Srinagar international airport were cancelled in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic threat. Talking to NVI, Director at Srinagar International Airport, Santosh Dhoke, said that all the necessary protocols, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are being put in place for the smooth flow of operations.

“We are ready to resume the flight operations but final call is up to the ministry of aviation (GoI). The moment they give us the nod, we will go ahead”, he said. “To begin with, we will be dealing with only 30 to 40 per cent air traffic operations.”

He said that to ensure protocol is followed in spirit and social distancing maintained among the passengers, the airport staff have started marking some important spots and in the coming few days marks will also ensure maintaining social distancing among passengers. “Special marks will be used at the checking counters to ensure social distancing among officials. Airlines will also depute their officials who will provide passengers boarding pass after showing valid PNR number. But in entire exercise, proper guidelines will be followed and no laxity will be allowed,” he said.

He said all the arrangements are being made to ensure the safety of passengers and officials. “At entrances, the computers and web cameras have been installed to magnify the boarding passes and tickets. Passes will be shown on computer screen to satisfy the security officials who will allow entry,” Dhoke said.

Similarly, at the gate, there will be a team of health officials who will check the temperature of passengers and as per government guidelines, a passenger should have Aarogya-Setu app and the indication it shows must be green. “In case it’s orange, one won’t be allowed to enter/proceed,” he said, adding that the app is mandatory. “If a passenger arrives without it he/she won’t be allowed to proceed,” he said.

A decontamination tunnel is also being installed by SMC for sanitising the passengers and their luggage also with 1 per cent of hydro-chloride. The director said that it is going to be a challenge but all the government guidelines are being followed to ensure smooth flow of air traffic and passengers that include arrivals and departures.