New Delhi, Jun 11: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, suggesting the opening of the strategic IAF airport at Awantipora in South Kashmir to civilian traffic in October.
The meetings come amid the scheduled closure of the Srinagar airport from October 1 to October 15.
Abdullah met the two Union ministers here separately and raised concerns over the planned closure of the Srinagar airport in October for runway repairs, officials said. During the meetings, Abdullah highlighted that a major inflow of tourists from West Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra occurs during this period. The season is fondly called ‘Golden Kashmir’ because the leaves of the iconic Chinar trees turn golden-yellow.
He suggested that if the closure of the Srinagar airport is absolutely necessary, the alternative airfield at Awantipora should be opened for civilian traffic during that fortnight.
The chief minister is in the national capital to attend the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog.
Officials said that the Centre will explore options to avoid a total closure of the airport in October.
In 2010, the Awantipora airbase, which, like the Srinagar airport, is under the control of the Indian Air Force, was successfully used for civilian flights during previous runway repairs in Srinagar.
Srinagar airport was closed for 14 days, from September 4 to September 17, 2010, and during this period, the Awantipora airport was opened for civilian traffic.
Additionally, the Defence Ministry has approved the operation of civilian flights from the Awantipora airfield.
Shripad Naik, the then Minister of State for Defence, had informed the Lok Sabha that the government had given “in-principle approval” for civil flight operations from Awantipora under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), which was conveyed to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in June 2019.
This information was shared in response to a question by Hasnain Masoodi, the then MP from the Anantnag constituency, regarding the steps being taken by the Defence Ministry to transfer Awantipora airport to the Civil Aviation Ministry for civilian air traffic.
According to Srinagar airport officials, a phased maintenance schedule will begin ahead of the total shutdown. Starting next month, air services will be suspended for two days every week, culminating in the full 15-day closure in October.
The runway repairs, essential for operational safety, have already led to flight restrictions since April 6 this year, after the Indian Air Force issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting flights between 8 am and 5 pm. While around 25 to 30 flights used to operate daily, only 18 flights are currently landing at the airport.
During the meetings, the chief minister highlighted the difficulties being faced by the tourism industry, which is still recuperating from the impact of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack.
He told the Union ministers that hospitality and travel stakeholders have been urging him to press the Centre to reconsider the timeline as cutting off air connectivity during one of the busiest domestic tourism blocks of the year could devastate the local economy.
On Wednesday, Abdullah also met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to discuss measures to strengthen rail connectivity in the Union Territory. While appreciating the quality of service and punctuality of the Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, he requested a stoppage for the train at Anantnag in South Kashmir.
He urged the railway minister to augment train services to the Kashmir Valley, particularly to offset the potential closure of the Srinagar airport in October.
