Srinagar Airport To Be Shut For Fortnight From Oct 1 For Maintenance

The decision to shut down Srinagar International Airport twice a week between July and September has triggered sharp criticism and deep concern among tourism stakeholders in the Kashmir Valley. 

Many argue that the move will severely affect visitor inflow at a time when the region?s tourism sector is still struggling to recover from the impact of last year?s terror attack in Pahalgam, which had already dealt a heavy blow to local businesses.

Rauf Tramboo, who heads a prominent high?altitude adventure travel company and serves as the



J&K chapter president of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), voiced strong apprehension. 

He said that a large number of domestic and international travellers have already booked their trips, and itineraries have been issued accordingly. The sudden announcement, he warned, risks disrupting schedules, forcing cancellations, and reducing tourist footfall during a crucial period.

Tramboo stressed that authorities should have communicated the closure plan much earlier to allow the industry to prepare and mitigate losses.