Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 27

Despite having the required infrastructure, the Jammu airport is still waiting for the permission from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to operate during night.The Srinagar airport, however, recently got the IAF nod for night flights.The Jammu airport, which had been ranked as the 27th busiest airports of the country, is having a hard time managing heavy rush during peak hours. The airport caters to more than 4,000 passengers on a daily basis in 40 (arrival and departure) flights.The airport starts its operations after 9.30 am and the last flight takes off before 4.30 pm. No commercial flights are allowed to operate beyond the allotted time.The local IAF station controls the air traffic of the airport and it does not allow the authorities to operate during night.“We have the required infrastructure to operate flights during night,” said DK Goutam, director, Jammu airport. “To seek permission from the IAF, we need flight schedules of the airline companies which are willing to operate during night hours,” he said.Goutam said in the last meeting of the airport advisory committee held in February this year, it was decided that various airlines would be requested to the send their schedules for night flights. However, no airlines have come forward with their schedules even after six months, he added.