“Passengers are informed that there will be no complete airfield closure at Srinagar Airport this year. The previously suggested NOTAM regarding full runway closure on Mondays and Tuesdays has been withdrawn. Airlines will keep updating their schedules based on the current operational timings,” the Srinagar airport announced on X.
“Airport operations will be ongoing every day, with operational/watch hours from 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs. Night closures for runway maintenance will remain until October 2026,” the post continued.
Operations Update from Srinagar Airport ✈️
Passengers are informed that there will be no complete airfield closure at Srinagar Airport this year.
Airport operations will be ongoing every day, with operational/watch hours from 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs. Night closures for runway… pic.twitter.com/eIMvuLVHgN
— Srinagar Airport (@SrinagarAirport) July 4, 2026
This decision was made following the proactive intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who underscored the severe economic repercussions the closure would have generated for the region.
The initial plan to shut down the runway on Mondays and Tuesdays had raised alarm among local tourism stakeholders. According to CM Abdullah, the announcement had already caused a surge in holiday cancellations.
“The Monday-Tuesday closure was becoming a significant burden. I spoke to some individuals in the tourism sector just yesterday, and many of their groups had begun cancelling. Ever since this news surfaced, I’ve been persistently addressing the issue.”
While this immediate concern has been resolved, the Chief Minister acknowledged that infrastructure improvements would eventually necessitate a temporary suspension of operations later this year. He indicated that the government’s attention will now shift towards reducing future disruptions by arranging alternative travel options.
“The outcome is that, for now, the Monday-Tuesday closure plan has been averted, which is a relief, but our next priority is to ensure that when the airport closes in October, we have at least some alternative flights at Awantipora,” Abdullah remarked.
#WATCH | Srinagar: On Srinagar International Airport authorities withdrew NOTAM to shut the runway, J&K CM Omar Abdullah states, “The Monday-Tuesday closure was proving to be a major burden. I spoke to some people from the tourism sector just yesterday, and many of their groups had… pic.twitter.com/8p8wnpOLjR
— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2026
In June, CM Abdullah addressed the issue of the potential runway closure with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu. He suggested allowing civilian flight operations from the Awantipora airfield if Srinagar Airport needed to halt services for maintenance work.
Abdullah also emphasized that October is one of Kashmir’s peak tourism months, attracting numerous visitors from states like West Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra to see the Valley’s renowned chinar trees in their autumn splendor. Industry representatives had warned that a prolonged disruption to air connectivity could dramatically impact tourist arrivals.
