Only 5 Kg Check-in Baggage to Be Carried on Ahmedabad–Srinagar Sector; Remaining 30 Kg to Reach Valley by Road
Srinagar, June 1: Owing to temporary operational restrictions at Srinagar Airport, return flights carrying Haj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Jammu and Kashmir will operate via Ahmedabad, with revised baggage arrangements in place, the Ministry of Minority Affairs said on Monday.
In a post on X, the ministry said that a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued for Srinagar Airport and ongoing runway maintenance work have led to temporary runway length restrictions, necessitating payload limitations on aircraft operations in the interest of flight safety.
To ensure that Haj flight schedules remain unaffected and to minimize inconvenience to pilgrims, return flights operated by Akasa Air to the Srinagar Embarkation Point have been planned through Ahmedabad.
Under the revised arrangement, pilgrims will be allowed to carry up to 35 kilograms of checked-in baggage on flights up to Ahmedabad. However, only 5 kilograms of checked baggage per pilgrim will be transported on the Ahmedabad–Srinagar sector, while the remaining 30 kilograms will be moved separately by road to Srinagar. The cabin baggage allowance remains unchanged.
The ministry clarified that the measures have been necessitated solely due to airport operational constraints and aviation safety requirements.
It further said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Haj Committee of India and J&K State Haj Committee are coordinating closely with all stakeholders to ensure the safe, smooth and dignified return of Haj pilgrims.
“Safety cannot be compromised, and all decisions have been taken in the best interests of the pilgrims,” the ministry said.
