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Operations Resume At 9 Airports After Being Suspended Amid Escalating India-Pak Tension

Airports Authority of India had earlier issued a notice saying flight operations at the airports will remain shut from 27 February to 27 May.
Reuters File Photo

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI —Aviation watchdog DGCA Wednesday said operations at the nine airports, which were shut earlier in the day, have resumed “as of now”.

A spokesperson of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, “As of now, ops to these airports resumed (sic).”

Earlier on Wednesday, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM), saying flight operations at the airports in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Pathankot, Amritsar, Shimla, Kangra, Kullu Manali and Pithoragarh will remain shut from 27 February to 27 May.

The AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports, including those shut temporarily Wednesday, in the country.

The move to suspend operations the airports had come amid escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan after the IAF carried out strikes on terror bases in Pakistan.

In Srinagar, an official of the Airports Authority of India had told PTI, “The civilian air traffic has been suspended temporarily in view of the emergency”.

Airports at Chandigarh, Pathankot, Halwara are Bathinda were put on high alert.

Guru Ram Dass International Airport Director Manoj Chansoria said the arrival and departure of all civil flights from Amritsar International Airport had been suspended.

Commercial operations from Chandigarh international airport are on. Earlier operations at Chandigarh were halted for sometime.

“Commercial operations are on,” Chandigarh Airport director Suneel Dutt said.

Vistara Airlines said in a tweet, “Due to airspace restrictions flights to and from Amritsar, Srinagar and Jammu are currently on hold. Chandigarh is now open again for flights”.

Jet Airways said that in “line with the instructions received from Delhi ATC regarding airport closure Jet Airways flight operations to and from Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar and Leh have been suspended until further notice”.

Punjab’s six border districts of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Amritsar have been on high alert since Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of border areas have been asked to put in place all contingency plans to ensure protection and safety of citizens, officials said.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.