Srinagar Airport officials announced on Thursday that passengers would be permitted to enter Srinagar Airport only three hours before their flight departure. The new restriction is a part of the airport’s measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“Travellers are requested to please come to the airport only up to three hours before flight departure time,” said Kuldeep Singh, Director, Airport Authority of India (AAI), Srinagar airport to Economic Times.
The regulation of passenger entry stems from the fact that some passengers arrive at the airport seven to eight hours before the flight’s departure time, causing the airport to become crowded. The ground staff find it challenging to control the crowd, making the passenger handling a mess.
The new COVID-19 guideline will be in force with immediate effect.
From Thursday, admission to the airport will be limited to three hours before departure. The travellers boarding the flight must enter the airport at least three hours before the flight’s departure time. This is important to control airport traffic and decrease the risk of infection. Singh urged visitors to cooperate with security personnel to keep the airport’s access control seamless.
No mask, no entry at Srinagar airport
Srinagar airport COVID-19 guideline also stresses the “No Mask, No entry” . There will be a fine of Rs 500 for passengers found in the airport without masks.
“Covid-19 infection is spreading very fast. The infection is more in crowded areas. All our passengers are requested to please maintain social distance at the airport and wear masks at all times. We follow the rule of ‘No Mask, No Entry’. There is a fine of Rs 500 if any passengers remove their mask,” he said in a statement issued to the media.
Between December 2020 and March 2021, the airport handled almost 40 commercial aircraft per day, with a footfall of nearly 10 lakh passengers. According to AAI data, yearly passenger footfalls in Srinagar airport are predicted to rise from 3 million to 5.2 million each year.
On Wednesday, daily COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir increased by 50%, with 1,695 new cases reported in the union territory. There were 812 new cases in the Jammu division and 883 new cases in the Kashmir division of the union territory. Jammu district had the most cases with 438, followed by Srinagar district with 320.
