The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has announced a plan to suspend operations at Srinagar airport for 16 days in October to carry out runway maintenance and other repairs. This decision has raised alarm among tour operators, who fear that the shutdown will deal a severe blow to an industry still recovering from last year's Pahalgam attack. The closure coincides with the peak Durga Puja holiday season, when a large number of Bengali tourists typically visit Jammu and Kashmir.
Details of the Shutdown
An AAI official stated that the Indian Air Force (IAF), which operates the airfield, proposed a phased maintenance schedule between July 1 and September 30. During this period, services would be suspended every Monday and Tuesday. This would culminate in a full closure from October 1 to October 16. The official added that an advisory was issued following directives from the civil aviation ministry.
The Kashmir valley traditionally experiences a massive influx of tourists from West Bengal during October, as most schools and colleges are closed for the Durga Puja festivities. Travel operators and industry stakeholders fear that the closure will lead to widespread cancellations and heavy financial losses for an economy still recuperating from the impact of the Pahalgam attack.
Industry Reactions
Stakeholders have expressed concern over the timing of the maintenance and appealed to the government and AAI to revisit the schedule. Hotelier Asif Burza, who owns properties across tourist destinations in the valley, told PTI that while upgrading the airport is important, the facility should not be fully closed. He emphasized that efforts should be made to minimize inconvenience. Burza suggested increasing flight frequencies to compensate for the losses and called for higher frequency on the newly launched trains.
Farooq Kuthoo, president of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, said tourists are already wary of the disruption, and cancellations are taking place. He appealed to the government to seriously review the decision. His association has termed the move "unfortunate" and "unjustified."
Nasir Shah, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators' J&K chapter, proposed that if upgrading the airport runway is necessary, the runway at Awantipora air base, located about an hour's drive from Srinagar, should be put into service as an alternative.
Hospitality and travel stakeholders warned that cutting off air connectivity during a busy domestic tourism period could devastate the local economy.
Official Response
Srinagar airport authorities clarified that the schedule is still in the planning phase. According to a post on the airport's X handle, "As soon as the schedule is formally approved, detailed updates will be shared through official channels." The last such maintenance exercise was carried out in 2011.
