Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 8: Day after two special flights carrying Hajj pilgrims were cancelled due to delayed take-off from New Delhi, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today took strong note of the delay while five Hajj flights arrived here at Srinagar Airport and another was, however, cancelled.
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An official told Excelsior that five Air India flights carrying Hajj pilgrims landed at Srinagar Airport today. He said that the first Air India flight carrying 230 pilgrims from Jeddah landed here at 8:53 am. Minister for Revenue, Relief Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Abdul Rehman Veeri received the first batch of pilgrims along with other officials.
The official said four other flights also arrived at the Srinagar Airport today while one flight which was scheduled to land in the evening was cancelled and that would now arrive tomorrow. “Thereafter the other flights would arrive as per schedule,” he said. Director Airports Authority of India (AAI) Sharad Kumar told Excelsior that the situation at Srinagar Airport was normal today and no disturbance on yesterday’s pattern occurred.
Meanwhile, chairing a high level meeting in this regard here today, the Chief Minister asked the Chief Secretary to take up the matter with the authorities of Civil Aviation at the Centre and ask the airline authorities and Air Traffic Control to ensure that the same is not repeated again, an official spokesman said.
Mehbooba also asked the Principal Resident Commissioner at New Delhi to be stationed there during the period of Hajj flights and coordinate the timely and smooth arrival of Hajj pilgrims to the State. The Chief Minister directed the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to get the airline and Airport authorities to ensure that in no case shall the flights carrying Hajj pilgrims back home be made to wait for landing or put to any inconvenience.
She stressed on a coordinated approach among all the agencies concerned to ensure that the pilgrims return back home in time and without any inconvenience. Chief Secretary, B B Vyas; Director General of Police, Dr S P Vaid; Principal Secretary, Home, R K Goyal; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Rohit Kansal; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan; IGP(CID), A G Mir and other officers were present in the meeting.
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