Entire airspace north of Delhi; J&K, HP, Punjab shut over Indo-Pak tension

Srinagar: Srinagar, Jammu and Leh airports were on Wednesday closed for civilian air traffic shortly after an IAF jet crashed in Budgam district and amid escalation of cross-Line of Control shelling between armies of India and Pakistan.

An Airport Authority of India notification said no flights were permitted to operate to and from Amritsar, Pathankot, Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Shimla, Kangra, Kullu Manali airports due to “technical reasons”.

"The civilian air traffic has been suspended temporarily in view of the emergency," an official of the Airport Authority of India told PTI.

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Several airlines issued statements about the cancelling operations.

“Due to airspace restrictions, flights to and from Amritsar, Srinagar, Chandigarh and Jammu are currently on hold,” Vistara airlines said in a tweet.

While the official did not specify the nature of the emergency, it is believed the step was taken in view of an IAF jet crashing in Budgam district this morning.

Jammu and Leh airports have also been closed for civilian traffic.

The flare up in the cross-LoC shelling, which was initiated by Pakistani troops in early hours of Wednesday has also resulted in security forces and other establishments being put on a heightened alert.