Proposed NOTAM withdrawn, night runway closures continue till Oct
CM thanks Centre, says closure created lot of difficulties
Srinagar, Jul 04: The possible impact on the tourism sector in the Valley has been diverted as the proposal regarding the closure of Sheikh-ul-Aalam International Airport has been suspended, with the authorities stating that there will be no full airfield closure at Srinagar airport this year.
The authorities had proposed that the runway at Srinagar airport shall remain unavailable on every Monday and Tuesday from July 1, 2026, to September 30, 2026. A complete closure of runway operations was also proposed from October 1 to October 16, 2026.
However, after a series of meetings by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with the Union Ministers and the appeals from the different stakeholders of the tourism sector, the authorities have now decided to withdraw the proposal.
In a post on X, Srinagar Airport informed the passengers that there will be no full airfield closure this year.
“Airport operations will continue on all days with operational/watch hours from 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs. Night closures for runway maintenance will continue until October 2026. The previously proposed NOTAM regarding full runway closure on Mondays and Tuesdays is being withdrawn. Airlines will continue to update their schedules in accordance with the prevailing operational timings.”
“Passengers are requested to check their flight status with their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport and rely only on official channels for authentic updates.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed gratitude to the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu for suspending the proposed closure order of Srinagar Airport.
“Grateful to the Defence Minister @rajnathsingh Sb & Civil Aviation Minister @RamMNK for acceding to our request and suspending the airport closure order. This closure had created a lot of difficulties for regular travellers & forced tour groups/tourists to cancel planned visits,” Omar Abdullah wrote in a post on X.
He expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its prompt and positive response to the concerns regarding the proposed runway closure at Srinagar Airport.
The Chief Minister had personally taken up the matter with the GoI to safeguard the interests of passengers, the tourism sector, trade, and the people of Jammu & Kashmir. The decision ensures uninterrupted air connectivity to the region, preventing disruption to travel, tourism, and economic activity.
