Union home minister Amit Shah, who is reaching Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, will inaugurate the first direct international flight between Srinagar and Sharjah and United Arab Emirates (UAE. This is Shah’s first visit to the union territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

International flights will begin in Srinagar from today, following a meeting between top officials involved in the union territory’s administration.

This comes nearly a month after Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that efforts are on to start international services in Srinagar, adding that it will give a boost to the development of the union territory. He had also said on September 25 that the terminal at the Srinagar airport will be expanded from 25,000 square metre to 63,000 square metre.

There will be an investment of ₹1,500 crore at the Srinagar airport, while ₹600 crore will be spent on the Jammu airport.

Meanwhile, in a meeting on Monday, Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole discussed necessary arrangements needed to put in place and management of passengers at Srinagar airport in view of Covid pandemic.

Arrangements for immigration and customs were also discussed, a government spokesman said.

Pole directed officers to execute arrangements meticulously, including the management and regulation of passengers, segregation of domestic and international passengers, conduct Rapid PCR at airport for international passengers besides mandatory RT-PCR test for Covid before 48 hours.

The meeting also discussed the issue of brick kilns within the eight kilometer radius of the Srinagar International Airport and alternative approach road besides other issues, the spokesman added.