CM Omar meets Aviation Minister over proposed Srinagar airport closure

Srinagar, June 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said he met Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to discuss the proposed closure of Srinagar International Airport in October and explore alternatives to minimise disruption to air travel.

In a post on social media, Abdullah said the meeting followed his recent discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the issue.

“Following on from my meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sb, I met with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to discuss the proposed closure of Srinagar airport in October,” Abdullah said.

The Chief Minister said efforts are underway to ensure that air connectivity to Kashmir is maintained even if the airport undergoes a temporary shutdown.

“We are working on possible alternatives to minimise the disruption and maintain a basic flight schedule, as was done in the past when the airport closed for similar reasons in 1998 and 2010,” he said.

The proposed closure of Srinagar Airport has raised concerns among travellers, tourism stakeholders and business communities, particularly as the move could coincide with a period of significant passenger movement to and from the Valley.