Here’s some important news for those planning a trip to the Andamans. The Port Blair airport or Veer Savarkar International Airport will remain shut for four days every week, starting March 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022. The announcement was made by the Civil Aviation Department of the Andaman & Nicobar administration. The main reason for the said closure is runway upgradation and re-carpeting work.
A number of daily flight operations are expected to be disturbed because of the renovation work. As of now, more than 12 daily flights operate in and out of the Port Blair airport. Before the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, some 22 flights used to operate here.
The decision to close the airport has made the travel trade and association a little unhappy. The association thinks that the closure will hugely impact tourism in the region. Tourism is an important revenue generator in the region and the decision is likely going to impact the sector.
The Tourism Association of Andaman & Nicobar (TAAN) in a message stated, “Kind request to re-consider NOTAMN C0030/22 wef 01/03/2022 to 31/05/2022 reg RWY closure 4 days a week amidst AAI Port Blair Airport runway maintenance and upgradation work, which may deeply affect the lifeline of the islands.”
The stakeholders are now requesting the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Defence to reconsider their decision and explore all possibilities to avoid closure of the runway.
