Expert Panel to assess Udhampur airport for potential commercial flight operations

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has formed a dedicated committee to assess the feasibility of landing commercial flights at Udhampur, in Jammu region, as per Union Minister Jitendra Singh.

Singh, who is also the Member of Parliament from the Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha Constituency, had recently shared that the government is pursuing an “ambitious proposal” to designate Udhampur as a stopover for the new Air India Express flight connecting between Hindon and Jammu.

At present, Jammu and Srinagar are the two operational airports in J&K. If Udhampur is approved for commercial flights, it would offer travellers quicker access to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Singh remarked that Udhampur shares similarities with Jammu Airport, which is also managed by the Air Force, meaning there are several logistical and regulatory hurdles that must be navigated before such a proposal can be finalised.

In his latest update on the matter, the Union Minister mentioned that “in principle, there is no objection to this proposal.” Furthermore, he shared that the AAI has formed a committee comprising experts from the aviation sector, the Air Force and professional pilots. This team is expected to visit Udhampur next weekend to assess the feasibility of implementing the proposal.

The committee will evaluate several crucial factors, including air traffic, safety protocols, airport management and other related aspects. Singh confirmed that this development had been communicated by the office of the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India.