Srinagar International Airport Runway Needs Repairs: AAI.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has said maintenance of the runway at Srinagar International Airport is necessary, noting that the last major upkeep was carried out 15 years ago.

“Every runway needs maintenance. Here, the last maintenance was done 15 years ago. Maintenance of a runway is necessary every 10 years,” Srinagar airport director Javed Anjum told reporters, adding that the work has now been taken up to ensure safe aircraft operations.

According to the AAI, runway maintenance will be carried out in phases beginning July, with operations suspended on Mondays and Tuesdays each week to allow work on portions of the runway while keeping flights operational for the remaining days.

“Monday and Tuesday are mandatory, and for safe aircraft operations we need safe runways. That is why we are maintaining it,” Anjum said, adding that the work will proceed in segments over multiple weeks.

A complete shutdown is planned for a fortnight in October to complete the remaining work. However, Anjum said the authority would comply with any instructions from the government regarding the schedule of flight operations.

“As and when we get instructions, whatever the plan of the government is, we will abide by that,” he said.

The proposed closure has raised concerns within the tourism sector, which fears a significant impact during the peak Durga Puja holiday season. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has raised the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, suggesting the possibility of opening the IAF airfield at Awantipora for civilian use during the shutdown period.

Meanwhile, AAI will observe ‘Yatri Suvidha Diwas’ on Monday at Srinagar airport to showcase passenger-centric initiatives and recent infrastructure developments.

Anjum said the airport has seen strong growth in connectivity and passenger traffic over the past decade, with annual passenger handling rising from 2.04 million in 2014–15 to 4.47 million in 2024–25, though numbers moderated to 3.38 million in 2025–26 following the Pahalgam incident.

He also highlighted improvements in cargo operations, which have increased from 7,000 metric tonnes to 10,500 metric tonnes over the last five years, with current handling capacity at 40,000 metric tonnes annually.

Looking ahead, Anjum said the Centre has allocated ₹1,667 crore for the expansion of Srinagar airport. The project will expand terminal capacity from 2.5 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 10 MPPA and increase terminal area from 20,000 sq m to 71,000 sq m, along with a multi-level parking facility for 1,000 vehicles.

The upgraded terminal will be capable of handling 15 aircraft simultaneously, with completion expected within four years. A new airport link road from the ring road is also being planned in coordination with the UT administration and NHAI to improve access to the facility.