Srinagar Airport announces partial runway closures for maintenance starting July 2026; total runway shutdown from October 1

Srinagar: Srinagar International Airport has outlined a schedule for runway maintenance work proposed by the Indian Air Force, which may impact flight operations starting this July. As part of the planned runway maintenance, it is proposed that the runway at Srinagar Airport may remain unavailable on every Monday and Tuesday from 01 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

Further, a total closure of runway operations is proposed from 01 October 2026 to 16 October 2026.

According to the Srinagar Airport authority, " the passengers are requested to stay connected with Srinagar Airport and their respective airlines for authentic and timely information, and avoid relying on unverified sources. "


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In response to the upcoming runway maintenance schedule, Srinagar Airport issued an advisory through a post on X.

The airport stated, "Important Notice for Passengers, Under the proposed runway maintenance (maintenance) works by the Indian Air Force, it has been planned that the runway at Srinagar Airport will be unavailable every Monday and Tuesday from 01 July 2026 to 30 September 2026."

Airport further emphasised the importance of staying informed through official channels regarding the proposed runway maintenance.

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It said, "Additionally, it is also proposed to keep the runway operations completely closed from 01 October 2026 to 16 October 2026. Passengers are informed that the above plan is currently in the planning phase. As soon as it receives formal approval, detailed information will be shared through official channels."

Meanwhile, due to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued for Srinagar Airport and ongoing runway maintenance resulting in temporary runway length restrictions, payload limitations have been imposed on aircraft operations in the interest of flight safety, according to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

To avoid disruption to Hajj flight schedules and minimise inconvenience to pilgrims, the return journey of Hajj pilgrims operated by Akasa Airlines to the Srinagar Embarkation Point has been planned via Ahmedabad with 35 kg check-in baggage allowance up to Ahmedabad.

Thereafter, 5 kg check-in baggage per pilgrim will be carried on the Ahmedabad-Srinagar flight, while the remaining 30 kg baggage will be transported separately by road to Srinagar. There is no change in the cabin baggage allowance.

These arrangements were necessitated solely by airport operational constraints and aviation safety requirements. The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Hajj Committee of India and J&K State Hajj Committee are in constant coordination with all stakeholders to ensure the safe, smooth and dignified return of pilgrims.

Safety cannot be compromised, and all decisions have been taken in the best interests of the pilgrims, the ministry stated.

Locals fear blow to business

The two-week shutdown is expected to deal a massive blow to Jammu and Kashmir's tourism sector, as it directly clashes with the peak Durga Puja holiday season.

The Valley traditionally witnesses a massive influx of tourists from West Bengal during this period, and travel operators fear the closure will lead to widespread cancellations and heavy financial losses.

The ongoing engineering work has already drastically shrunk the airport's operational window and flights currently operate only between 8 am and 5 pm, a significant reduction from the previous schedule of 7 pm to 10 pm.

With the October closure looming, hospitality and travel stakeholders are urging authorities to reconsider the timeline, saying that cutting off air connectivity during one of the busiest domestic tourism blocks of the year could devastate the local economy.