Srinagar: The Srinagar International Airport will suspend all flight operations for 15 days from October 1 for crucial runway maintenance, raising alarm bells within the tourism industry that fears the shutdown will deal a massive blow to the sector as it directly clashes with the peak Durga Puja holiday season.
According to airport officials, a phased maintenance schedule will begin ahead of the total shutdown and starting from next month, air services will be closed for two days every week, culminating in the full 15-day closure from October 1 to October 15.
The runway repairs, essential for operational safety, have led to flight restrictions since April 6 after the Indian Air Force issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) shirking the flights between 8 am and 5 pm. Earlier, around 25-30 flights used to operate every day but as of now only 18 flights land at the airport.
The Kashmir Valley traditionally witnesses a massive influx of tourists from West Bengal during October. This period is fondly called “Golden Kashmir”, as during the autumn season leaves of Chinar trees turn golden-yellow.
Travel operators and industry leaders fear the closure will lead to widespread cancellations and heavy financial losses for an economy still recuperating from the impact of last year’s Pahalgam terror attack.
Industry leaders expressed deep concern over the timing of the repairs and appealed to the government and the Airports Authority of India to revisit the schedule.
Asif Burza, a prominent hotelier, feels that while upgradation of the airport was very important, the airport should not be fully closed.
“The repair works and upgrades are very important for the future. It is a matter of convenience for travellers, but at the same time, efforts should be made to lessen the inconvenience to the people,” Burza, who has properties across the famous tourist destination in the valley, said.
He said the frequency of flights should be increased to compensate for the losses due to closure and also that the frequency of newly started trains should be increased.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Javed Ahmad Tenga said that while upgrades are necessary, the government should find alternatives to minimise the impact on the industry.
He suggested that if the suspension is inevitable, authorities must increase the frequency of trains on the Jammu and Kashmir railway lines and introduce new services from Delhi to compensate for the loss of air connectivity.
The Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) termed the move “unfortunate” and “unjustified”, noting that stakeholders were not consulted before the decision was made.
TAAK president Farooq Kuthoo said that tourists are wary of the disruption and that cancellations are already taking place.
“We are already receiving such queries. We appeal to the government to seriously review it,” he said, adding the tourism sector is on the revival mode after the Pahalgam attack and “this (closure) will certainly give us one more dent”.
With the October closure looming, hospitality and travel stakeholders are urging authorities to reconsider the timeline, saying that cutting off air connectivity during one of the busiest domestic tourism blocks of the year could devastate the local economy.
