Centre Extends Closure of 24 Airports Till May 15 Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

Centre Extends Closure of 24 Airports Until May 15 During India-Pakistan Tensions

The Union government has declared the closure of 24 airports in India to be extended until 5:29 am on May 15, in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after recent military operations and security issues. The Civil Aviation Ministry had originally announced that these airports would be non-operational for civil flights until May 10, but the closure has now been extended due to continued security issues.

The impacted airports are important cities like Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhuntar, Kishangarh, Patiala, Shimla, Jaisalmer, Pathankot, Jammu, Bikaner, Leh, Porbandar, and many more.The action is being taken in the wake of heightened tensions after Pakistan’s army had launched a drone attack and intense artillery along the Line of Control (LoC) which resulted in losses and damage to villages on the border of Jammu and Kashmir.

The recent military clashes were after an April 22 Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir attack killed 26 civilians. India blamed cross-border terrorism in Pakistan, but Islamabad denied the accusation. After recent drone attacks, Pakistan’s military is reportedly spotted to have fired 300 to 400 drones, which were intercepted and repelled by Indian air defense systems. Even though intercepted, the explosion and lighting up of the sky instilled fear among citizens in various parts of the nation, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

The security checks at airports have also been significantly enhanced following these incidents. Travel advisories have been issued by some of the airlines to inform passengers about keeping themselves updated on airport closure and security measures.
Air India announced that flights from and to Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar, and Rajkot airports would be suspended till 5:29 am on May 15.The airline also provided for one-time waiver on rescheduling fees or full refunds to passengers who were impacted. IndiGo also said that all its flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Bikaner, Rajkot, Jodhpur, and Kishangarh would be canceled until the same time period.

At Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, officials said flight operations were disrupted by heightened security procedures. During Friday from 5 am to 2 pm, a total of 66 domestic departures and 63 arrivals and 5 international departures and 4 arrivals were canceled. Nevertheless, the airport operator DIAL said overall operations were normal but added that some schedules and security processing times might be affected during the developing security situation.

The increased alert and security measures are a reaction to the ongoing cross-border firing, such as the disruption of Pakistani drones and artillery fire across the LoC, which have raised fears and disruptions in civilian areas. The government remains vigilant as India-Pakistan tensions continue, and precautionary measures are taken to guarantee safety and security at strategic transportation points nationwide