Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Dec 06 : Amid Omicron virus-variant threat and the mandatory8-hour quarantine, the footfall of international passengers has started increasing with each passing day as five flights have arrived at Srinagar international airport in the last one week.
Director, Airport Authority Srinagar, Kuldeep Singh told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a total of five flights have arrived at Sheikh-ul-Aalam International Airport, also known as Srinagar airport.
He informed that there are five flights a week, adding that the number of international passengers to Srinagar is also increasing. “The important thing is that the number of flights has increased 100 per cent from zero to five a week,” he said when asked whether the flow of passengers is increasing since the international flights started operating at the airport.
Director, Airport Authority Srinagar, said that the passengers are happy after witnessing a favourable management at the Srinagar airport. “We are happy that international flights have started in Srinagar and wish all the passengers good luck,” he said.
Meanwhile, officials within the airport said though the operation of international flights has started just a couple of days ago, the flights as well as the passengers are being managed efficiently at Srinagar airport.
“There has been no complaint so far by anyone. All the stakeholders are cooperating, which is very appreciable,” they said, adding that in the beginning, five international flights are arriving Srinagar in a week, but the efforts are on to increase the number of flights.
Pertinently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first direct international flight between Srinagar and Sharjah and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on October 23, 2021. News agency—KNO was the first to break the news that all foreign guests have to go through 8-hour mandatory quarantine at any of the three special quarantine centers set up for them by the district administration in Srinagar. A marriage hall at Sanatnagar area and two hotels in the city have been converted into hi-tech quarantine centers by the district administration for the international tourists arriving in Kashmir—(KNO)
