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| Oops! Admin to close Jammu Airport for fortnight but forgets alternative | | Fliers left high & dry, business to be affected; Jammuites seek PM Modi's intervention | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 20: Even as administration has decided to close the Jammu Airport for a fortnight for extension of the infrastructure, the prospective fliers from the city of temples have been left to fend for themselves as no alternative arrangement has been put in place.
Official sources said the administration has decided to close the airport for the limited period in the coming weeks meaning that no one will be able to fly in or out of the historic city for fourteen days. The development has yet again exposed the discrimination with the region, where in particular thousands of pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine keep thronging throughout the year.
Experts said whenever Srinagar airport was closed for any such work, the alternative Defense Air Field at Awantipora was thrown open for civilian flights so that air traffic to Kashmir doesn't remain disconnected even for a day.
"But here in Jammu as usual things are taken so far granted that the concerned didn't mind to open some defense air strips at place like Udhampur as the alternative arrangement, much the way such concern is shown towards Kashmir," said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. Sources said as the prospective fliers have no means to travel by air it would essentially hit the tourism sector.
Experts said otherwise also closing an airport without alternative arrangements in place was against international standard. "What about someone who needs to travel to Delhi but can't do it by road or what if someone needs Air Ambulance in emergency? The city of temple has been left to fend for itself," said an expert.
Meanwhile the well meaning voices in Jammu have appealed PM Modi to personally look into the matter such Jammuites are offered alternative air field till expansion of Jammu airport is completed.
"We don't want to air traffic to suffer if such arrangements are put in place in Kashmir why not the same yardsticks for Jammu. We request Modi' ji to look into the matter," the Jammuites have appealed. It was reliably learnt that the decision to close Jammu Airport for fortnight recently discussed by the administration Jammu. Despite repeated attempts the concerned could not be contacted for comment. |
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