Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar closed until further notice

In a statement, Sirivennela, IPS, ADCP-2, confirmed that flights from the airport had been grounded and passengers were asked to leave.

“I received information today that all flights are suspended. The airport in Delhi has also been closed. Those who were inside the airport were asked to leave, and any vehicles that were still there were instructed to return as flights are no longer operational,” Sirivennela said.

“The entire airport has been shut down, and no flights will operate. We are waiting for further information regarding when the flights will resume.”

As of now, there is no specific timeline for when the airport will reopen. “We do not know when it will reopen unless we receive any update from the central government,” Sirivennela added.
The communication mismatch has led to confusion, with many passengers still outside the airport.

Sirivennela said, “There are many people outside the airport as well, and none of the airport authorities are present outside. The airport authorities are currently disseminating information, and it seems there was a mismatch in communication.

Many people may have travelled from far to catch their flights, but they may not have received the updated information.”

He added, “The notification has been issued, and everyone will be informed so that any passengers arriving at the airport will know beforehand that all flights have been suspended. There is no specific timing as of now, and the airport remains completely closed until further notice.”

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday spoke with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and discussed India’s “targeted response to deter cross-border terrorism.”

Sharing a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, “Good to speak to PM & FM @MBA_AlThani_ of Qatar. Discussed India’s targeted and measured response to deter cross-border terrorism.”

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Armed Forces launched a strike at the terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Wednesday morning.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She asserted that the locations were selected so that there was no damage to civilians and their infrastructure.

“Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed… The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives,” Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

Meanwhile, during a press briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi presented the videos of the destruction of terror camps, including from the Muridke and where David Headley and Ajmal Kasab, perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, received training.

Other than Muridke, Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala and Markaz Abbas, Kotli and Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot, were targeted in the strikes conducted by the Indian Army, Col Qureshi informed.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the attack on Pahalgam was driven by an objective of undermining the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The attack in Pahalgam was marked with extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with head shots at close range and in front of their family…the family members were deliberately traumatised through the manner of killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message. The attack was clearly driven by the objective of undermining normalcy returning to Kashmir,” he said.