Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Saifuddin Soz on Monday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct concerned authorities to put off the repair work at the Srinagar airport as its closure for 15 days would cause immense hardships to people.
Soz met the Prime Minister in New Delhi and told him till an alternative arrangement was made, the airport should not be shut for repair work, the Rajya Sabha MP said in a statement in Srinagar.
The Srinagar airport which handles around 12 flights daily is to be closed for traffic from September one for at least 15 days for runway repair work.
"I met the Prime Minister and sought his intervention to get the repair work postponed.
"The Prime Minister assured me he will ask concerned authorities to look into the matter immediately," Soz said.
"It is now clear the work will not be undertaken from September one as there is no question of closing the airport till an alternative arrangement is available," he said
Soz told Manmohan Singh the closure of the airport would cause tremendous hardships to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in view of coming Eid festival.
{{/usCountry}}Soz told Manmohan Singh the closure of the airport would cause tremendous hardships to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in view of coming Eid festival.
{{/usCountry}}"I told the PM unless an alternative airport at Awantipora was thrown to air traffic, the repair work should not be undertaken," the statement said.