With the Airport Authority of India (AAI) deciding to shutthe Jammu airport for at least 15 days from October 1 to resurface the runway,the authorities seem to be in a fix to deal with the situation arising outafter suspension of all commercial flights.

On an average, at least 24 commercial flights (IndianAirlines, Go Air, Vistara, Indigo, Go India and others) operate from the Jammuairport for Delhi, Srinagar, Mumbai, Bathinda, Lucknow and some other cities ona daily basis.If sources are to be believed, the authorities are exploring theoptions of operating some aircraft from Udhampur or Pathankot as alternatearrangements to deal with VVIP and emergency visits during the period ofresurfacing of the runway.Sources said the proposed closure of the Jammuairport had nothing to do with its expansion as the Indian Air Force (IAF)would do resurfacing of the runway.

“The airport will remain closed for all flights for 15 daysfrom October 1. The decision with regard to alternate arrangements is to betaken by the administration. We are in constant touch with them(administration),” Pravat Ranjan Beuria, Airport Director told The Tribune.

The sources in the administration said the DivisionalCommissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma was overseeing overall development at theJammu airport but no alternate arrangements so far had been made to ensure that“visitors and passengers” do not face any difficulty.

The authorities will take a call on it (alternatearrangements). We are holding discussions with them. We are working on it andhave identified two-three places as an alternate arrangement to operate someflights,” Verma responded.

The sources claimed that the Indian Air Force might berequested to make alternate arrangements in case of VVIP visits in Jammu duringthe period of resurfacing of the runway.

The AAI Jammu had started the expansion of runway up to8,000 ft from the existing 6,700 ft in July last year. Its deadline was set asMarch 2020. On August 16, Deputy Commissioner Sushma Chauhan, in a meetinghere, had asked the executing agencies to provide tree-free and structure-freeland to the AAI to expedite the expansion project.