The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Saturday said it will undertake a major overhaul of the runway at Srinagar International Airport, with phased maintenance work planned from July and a proposed 15-day closure in October, as the runway has not undergone major repairs in the last 15 years.
AAI Director for Srinagar airport, Javed Anjum, said runway maintenance was long overdue as such repairs are generally required every 10 years.
“Every runway needs maintenance. Here, the last maintenance was done 15 years ago. Maintenance of a runway is necessary every 10 years. So, we have taken up the maintenance of the runway at the airport here,” Anjum said.
According to AAI, flight operations will remain suspended on Mondays and Tuesdays from July to facilitate phased repairs. The authority has also proposed a complete closure of the runway for a fortnight in October to carry out the final phase of the work.
“Monday and Tuesday are mandatory. For safe aircraft operations, we need safe runways. We will take up a small portion of the runway every Monday and Tuesday, while flight operations will continue during the remaining days of the week,” Anjum said.
He said the final phase of the project would require a complete shutdown of the runway for 15 days in October.
The airport director, however, said the AAI would abide by any decision taken by the government regarding flight operations during the maintenance period.
“As and when we get instructions, whatever the government’s plan is, we will abide by that. If we are asked to operate flights or defer the maintenance schedule, we will do so,” he said.
The proposed October closure has raised concerns within the tourism industry, which fears it could affect tourist arrivals during the peak Durga Puja holiday season.
Meanwhile, airport authorities said Srinagar airport continues to witness significant growth in connectivity and infrastructure development. During the Airports Authority of India’s “Yatri Suvidha Diwas”, officials highlighted improvements in passenger facilities, cargo operations and future expansion plans.
Passenger traffic at the airport, however, declined from 4.47 million in 2024-25 to 3.38 million in 2025-26 following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
Despite the dip, officials said passenger traffic had grown from 2.04 million in 2014-15 to 4.47 million in 2024-25, reflecting the airport’s expanding role in regional connectivity and economic development.
“The Government of India has allocated Rs 1,667 crore for the expansion of Srinagar airport. The terminal capacity will increase from 2.5 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 10 MPPA, while the terminal area will expand from 20,000 sq m to 71,000 sq m. A multi-level parking facility with capacity for 1,000 vehicles will also be developed,” officials said.
The new terminal will be built to international standards and will be capable of handling 15 aircraft simultaneously. The expansion project is expected to be completed within four years.
Authorities also said that, in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a new airport link road from the ring road is being planned to improve passenger access to the airport.
Cargo operations have also expanded significantly, with annual cargo handling increasing from 7,000 metric tonnes to 10,500 metric tonnes over the past five years. The airport currently has an annual cargo handling capacity of 40,000 metric tonnes.
