Closing of Jammu Airport may hit implementation of UT rules

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 30

The suspension of air traffic from October 1 to October 15 at the Jammu Airport for the re-carpeting of runway will affect the implementation of Union Territory in Jammu and Kashmir, as Jammu will remain cut off from Delhi and Srinagar for a fortnight.

As the rules of the Union Territory are scheduled to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir from October 31, for which the preparations are being done by all agencies concerned, the air connectivity will create problems for the working of the Central Government in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to sources, the Civil Secretariat of Jammu will be opened quite early this time as the Union Territory will start working form the Secretariat in Jammu from October 31.

As the preparations are in full swing to finalise the guidelines for the Union Territory, officials and ministers from Delhi have to travel to Jammu to review the work. But the air traffic, which is scheduled to remain suspended from October 1 to October 15, according to sources, will cut off the air connectivity from Jammu to Srinagar and Delhi.

“All flights will remain suspended for a period of 15 days at the Jammu airport, not even the charter or private planes can operate from Jammu Airport,” a source in the Airport Authority of India (AAI) said.

As the Jammu Airport is a defence airport, it is being used by the Indian Air Force, state aircraft and some other jets. However, the operation of choppers and helicopters will remain unaffected.

The AAI, Jammu, had started the expansion of the runway up to 8,000 feet from the existing 6,700 feet in July last year and the deadline set for the completion is March 2020.

Jammu Airport operates nearly 20 flights per day for Delhi, Srinagar, Mumbai, Bathianda, Luknow and some other important cities, which are catering to travellers, including tourists, pilgrims and security personnel in the winter capital.

The flight connectivity for Jammu-Srinagar is high on demand for the past more than a year, as the regular landslide of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and four-laning work has made it difficult for the travellers to visit Kashmir Valley. The air service is the only connectivity to Ladakh region of the state with Jammu, during winters.

Will make review of work difficult

As the preparations are in full swing to finalise the guidelines for the Union Territory, officials and ministers from Delhi have to travel to Jammu to review the work. But the air traffic, which is scheduled to remain suspended from October 1 to October 15, according to sources, will cut off the air connectivity from Jammu to Srinagar and Delhi.