Flight operations at Srinagar airport will be partially suspended for two days every week from July to September as authorities undertake essential runway maintenance work, leading to significant disruptions during the peak travel season in Kashmir, officials said.

According to Srinagar Airport Director Javed Anjum, passenger flights will not operate on Mondays and Tuesdays starting July 1. The restriction will remain in force through July, August and September to facilitate repair, maintenance and expansion work on the runway, which has not undergone major upkeep in over a decade.

Anjum said the decision has been taken to ensure long-pending infrastructure work is completed with minimal disruption to overall air traffic. He added that this is the first major runway maintenance exercise in nearly 15 years, with the last such work carried out in 2011.

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Indian Air Force, which operates and maintains the defence-controlled airport, has already imposed additional operational limits. Under the current restrictions, flights are permitted only between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, resulting in the suspension of early morning and late evening services.

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As a result, Srinagar airport, which typically handles around 100 flights daily during peak tourist season, is currently operating fewer than 40 flights per day. The additional weekly shutdown is expected to further reduce capacity and impact connectivity to the Kashmir Valley during a period of high tourist inflow.

Officials said the earlier plan had proposed closing the airport on weekends between August 1 and October 15. However, the schedule was revised, and the maintenance window was advanced, leading to the decision to enforce closures on Mondays and Tuesdays instead.

The timing of the partial shutdown coincides with the peak tourism season in Kashmir, a region that has been gradually recovering its travel momentum following recent security concerns and geopolitical tensions in the region. Travel operators are expected to reassess schedules as airlines adjust to the reduced operational window.

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