Srinagar International airport to remain closed for 12 days

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Nikhil Menon

26 August, 2010

Srinagar International airport will be closed for commercial activities starting from September 1 for 12 days. The reason behind the closure is to allow re-surfacing of the runway. The decision was taken by the Indian Air Force.

SRINAGAR INTERNATIONAL airport will be closed for commercial activities starting from September 1 for 12 days. The reason behind the closure is to allow re-surfacing of the runway. The decision was taken by the Indian Air Force. This is the second time in 12 years that the airport is being closed for repair.

The decision taken by the IAF has stalled the plans of many people in the valley. Amongst many whose plans have come to a standstill are doctors waiting to conduct surgeries to students waiting to write examinations outside the state. Idrees Ahmad, a frequent flyer, said that he had to stall his plans of celebrating his first Eid with his newborn at home. Upon logging on to websites for tickets the unavailability status was a sad moment for him.

The Srinagar airport being an international airport is manned by the Indian Air Force and the long pending work on its runway made the IAF to take this decision. The land strip that is currently being used by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was leased out by the IAF for civil aviation. The AAI on the airport owns a terminal building and uses the IAF's help for maintenance.

On the long impending work, a government source said that the IAF was planning to repair the runway in April but was cancelled after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah intervened citing tourist rush to Kashmir.