CRPF ‘objects’ to night flights at Srinagar Airport

The Central Reserve Police Force has raised objections to operation of night flights at the Srinagar “International” Airport, citing “security concerns.”
Sources said the Force raised the objections during a review meeting of the state officials with a team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), at Jammu recently.
A high-level team of the DGCA held a meeting with the state administration, including the security agencies, to assess the facilities for night flight operations at Srinagar Airport
Sources told KIF that all the other stakeholders involved—including the Indian Air Force—have given their nod to the night flights.
“However, CRPF which provides security to the airport objected to the proposal on the pretext of security concerns,” they said.
“The state officials however pleaded before the DGCA to give its clearance to the night flight operations,” said an official, privy to the meeting
“Divisional Commissioner Kashmir also strongly supported the night flight operations and also had an argument with CRPF officials after they objected to it,” he said.
However, DIG CRPF South, KK Sharma said: “I was not part of the meeting, and have not received information about the meeting held at Jammu.”
Further, sources informed that J&K’s Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development and Civil Aviation, B B Vyas—who chaired the meeting—stated that Governor N N Vohra is keen to see the start of night flights at the Srinagar Airport.
“However the DGCA reserved their decision and informed the officials that they would communicate it to the state government soon,” they said.
The meeting discussed in detail the issues including resources and infrastructure and preparedness of airlines for extension of flight operations at the Srinagar Airport. The issues of security, lighting and capacity building in and around the airport also came up for discussion.
The meeting was informed that while the airlines already operating on Srinagar-Jammu-Delhi sector have shown eagerness to start night flights, some new airlines are also intending to commence operations from Srinagar and Jammu “for which extension of Watch Hours from dawn to dusk has become imperative.”
It was decided in the meeting that the issues flagged by various stakeholders would be taken up with the concerned quarters so that necessary measures are put in place for the extended flight operations.
The night flight operations at Srinagar Airport is a long pending demand of the people of Kashmir.
The Srinagar Airport is under the direct operational control of the IAF which controls its air traffic and landing strip and also the facilities of fire-fighting and crash activities, apart from the airspace. The terminal building where the passengers check-in and check-out and the apron area, where an aircraft is parked, is however controlled by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The meeting was chaired by Financial Commissioner Planning & Development and Civil Aviation, B B Vyas. Additional Director General Security, V K Singh, Commissioner Civil Aviation, Captain S Katoch, IG CRPF, NalinPrabhat, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Air Force Station Jammu, Air Commodore AshutoshLal, representatives of Director General Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India and Private Airlines were present at the meeting. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Asghar Hassan Samoon and IGP Kashmir, Javaid Mujtaba Geelani and Director Srinagar Airport were also part of it.