Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said that two new airport terminals will be established in Jammu and Kashmir soon. He said this during an interaction programme with DDC, BDC members, PRIs and locals at Harwan block of Srinagar district.

As a major development, the Minister said that an airport terminal worth Rs 1,500 crore shall be established on 25,000 square metres in Kashmir, while another airport terminal worth Rs 650 crore shall be established in Jammu on 22,000 square metres land size.

Infra development in J&K

He said that since a special focus is being given on the development of both air and road connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, a major road network including highways, ring road, tunnels and other projects are being constructed across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Jyotiraditya Scindia
Jyotiraditya ScindiaReuters

The Minister said that the development of connectivity shall bring more tourists to J&K and promote local craft. He said that the promotion of tourism and crafts will boost economic activity and prosperity of people of J&K.

He said that among other major projects, work was going on in full swing on ring road worth Rs 3,000 crore, while 100 percent of households are being supplied electricity now, made possible by the current dispensation.

Srinagar to Sharjah

After detailed deliberations between J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, a slew of announcements have been made to strengthen the aviation infrastructure in the Union Territory, officials said on Saturday.

J&K LG Manoj Sinha and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia
J&K LG Manoj Sinha and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindiavia Twitter/Scindia

Sinha said that Scindia and the J&K government have agreed to start the first international flight between Srinagar and Sharjah soon, ending the long-pending demand of the UT to have direct international connectivity.

"Similarly, the runway at the Jammu airport has been enhanced and 30 per cent load penalty at Jammu airport will be removed from October 1. It will provide huge relief to the airlines and passengers. We have also decided to build a new airport terminal adjacent to the existing airport in Jammu. The land measuring 122 acres has already been identified. It will soon be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to build a state-of-the-art 25,000 sq mt new terminal building," Sinha said.