Aviation minister lauds Mumbai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad ATC for ‘exemplary work’ amid India-Pak tensions

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday lauded the Air Traffic Control (ATC) teams of Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Nagpur for their “exemplary work” during the recent

tensions between India and Pakistan, which forced several international flights to use the airspace over Maharashtra.

“Had a discussion with the Air Traffic Control teams of Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Nagpur to thank and appreciate their exemplary work during the recent airspace tensions between India and

Pakistan. With traffic from the northern and north-western regions being diverted, these ATCs swiftly managed rerouting with precision and professionalism, ensuring safe and seamless skies

for lakhs of passengers,” Naidu said in a post on X.

The civil aviation minister also visited the Srinagar airport, which was shut during the India-Pakistan conflict, to review ongoing development work.

“In the aftermath of the unfortunate Pahalgam attack, I deeply appreciated the dedication and composure shown by the airport team. The coordination with security forces and J&K Police

ensured that passengers could travel safely without panic or disruption. Rescue operations and the support extended at the airport were executed with great care and professionalism,” said

Naidu.

“I’m also pleased to share that flight operations from Srinagar have now been fully restored to pre-incident levels from today. Our commitment remains strong, to ensure safe skies and

resilient infrastructure for every passenger,” he said.

India’s aviation authorities on Monday issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to reopen 32 shut airports following the ceasefire with Pakistan. Airports, mostly in the northern and western parts

of the country, were shut in the wake of escalating tensions with Pakistan since May 7. On May 15, IndiGo resumed its flight operations across routes that were temporarily suspended due to

the India-Pakistan conflict.

The 32 shut airports across India included Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur and Kandla. The

other affected airports are Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla,

Srinagar, Thoise, and Uttarlai. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) operates most of these airports.