Srinagar, Apr 23: Srinagar International Airport and railway stations across Kashmir saw heavy rush on Wednesday as thousands of tourists hurried to leave the Valley following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including a local from Anantnag.
Large crowds gathered at the airport from early morning, with long queues at ticket counters and security checkpoints. Airfares saw a steep rise due to the sudden demand, prompting many to seek the fastest way out.
To handle the rush, airlines IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet added a total of seven extra flights from Srinagar on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, more flights are on standby to help with further evacuations.
The government has directed airlines to avoid fare hikes and has said that airfares are being kept under control. All airlines have also waived cancellation and rescheduling charges for flights to and from Srinagar for the next week.
Initially, Air India and IndiGo had announced two additional flights each to Delhi and Mumbai. Three more flights—two from IndiGo and one from SpiceJet—were being added.
By afternoon, the airport had handled over 3,300 departing passengers. Temporary shelter, food, and water were arranged for those waiting for flights.
Tourists at the airport expressed fear and frustration over the sudden turn of events.
“We were in Pahalgam yesterday and had just returned to Srinagar when the news broke. We did not sleep the whole night,” said Priya Mehta, a tourist from Gujarat adding that she just want to go home safely.
Rajeev Sharma, who came with his family from Delhi, said that children are scared. We had come here to enjoy the holidays, but it turned into a nightmare. We managed to get tickets on a late evening flight with the help of some locals, he said.
Another traveler, Sangeeta Das from Kolkata said that she was supposed to stay for five more days, but after what happened whole world knows. The airport is packed, and people are just trying to get out, she added.
Srinagar International Airport Spokesman Vinod Jadli told Rising Kashmir that in response to the Pahalgam terror incident, Airport operated seven additional flights to facilitate the movement of affected tourists and authorities.
He said Airport maintained regular operations on April 23, 2025, with a total of 17,653 passengers traveling through the airport up to 11:20 PM.
“The scheduled traffic included 56 arrivals and 56 departures, with 6,561 passengers arriving and 11,092 passengers departing, bringing the total to 112 scheduled flight movements,” he said.
The spokesman said that in addition, there were 5 non-scheduled arrivals and 4 non-scheduled departures, with a total of 35 passengers (18 arriving and 17 departing), totaling 9 non-scheduled movements.
The spokesperson confirmed that despite the recent security situation, flight operations continued smoothly, and the airport remains fully committed to ensuring passenger safety and comfort.
Meanwhile, railway stations in Srinagar, Budgam and Anantnag also saw large crowds.
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway told Rising Kashmir that the attack, which targeted tourists in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, has heightened the need for additional travel options for the region’s residents and visitors during this difficult period.
“7 General coaches, 8 Sleeper coaches, 2 Third AC coaches, 1 Third AC Economy coach, and 2 luggage-cum-brake vans,” Upadhyay said.
He said that the special train is being operated to accommodate the surge in travel demand from the region, particularly in light of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that has raised security concerns.
“The recent tragic incident in Pahalgam has made it more urgent to ensure convenient travel for both local residents and tourists,” Upadhyay said.
“Northern Railway is committed to providing hassle-free travel for passengers, especially during these challenging times. We urge passengers to plan accordingly and take advantage of this special service,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Railways have issued helpline numbers for passengers in the wake of the Pahalgam incident. For Jammu Tawi Railway Station, the helpline is 0191-2470116, and the local contact number for Jammu region is 1072. For Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station, passengers can call 01991-234876, while the contact number for Udhampur Station is 7717306616.
For the 4th day,Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains partially closed due to landslides, leaving air and rail as the main exit options.
With the situation tense in the Valley, tourists are rushing to leave as quickly as possible.
A traffic police spokesman said that vehicular movement remained suspended on Jammu Srinagar NHW as the restoration work could not be completed on Wednesday.
“One way traffic will be restored on Thursday on Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) till the restoration work is completed and the surface is traffic worthy, he said.
On Srinagar-Sonamarg road LMVs followed by HMVs shall be allowed from Kargil towards Srinagar on Thursday. It will be followed by HMV’s.
