Srinagar, March 29, 2025 – Strong winds wreaked havoc at Srinagar International Airport on Friday, leading to the cancellation of 22 flights and causing widespread disruptions in flight operations throughout the day. The adverse weather conditions, marked by powerful gusts, not only grounded aircraft but also left passengers stranded, underscoring the vulnerability of air travel to extreme weather in the Kashmir Valley.
Airport officials reported that wind speeds reached 17 knots, with gusts peaking at 27 knots, creating unsafe conditions for takeoffs and landings. “Due to the steep pressure gradient, strong winds severely affected flight operations,” an official from Srinagar Airport stated. The disruptions began early Friday morning and persisted, halting a total of 22 scheduled flights, including both arrivals and departures. The cancellations impacted hundreds of passengers, including tourists and locals, who were left scrambling for alternative travel arrangements.
The strong winds sweeping across Srinagar were part of a larger weather system affecting Jammu and Kashmir. Overnight, the gusts uprooted several trees across the city, damaging vehicles, rooftops, and power infrastructure in various areas. A notable incident involved a car crushed under a fallen tree, highlighting the storm’s intensity. The Srinagar Municipal Corporation quickly mobilised cleanup operations to remove debris and fallen trees, working to restore normalcy and ensure public safety.
Javed Anjum, Director of Srinagar International Airport, confirmed the scale of the disruption, noting that the cancellations were unavoidable given the weather’s severity. “The strong winds made it impossible to maintain safe flight operations,” he said. By late Friday, as wind speeds subsided, the airport resumed limited operations, completing 15 arrivals and 14 departures out of the 38 scheduled flights for the day.
The disruptions added to the woes of travelers, with some expressing frustration over the unexpected cancellations. “We had plans to leave Srinagar after a wonderful trip, but now we’re stuck here until Sunday,” said Priya Sharma, a tourist from Delhi. Others, including NEET SS aspirants scheduled to attend exams in Jammu and Delhi on Saturday, faced significant logistical challenges due to the grounded flights.
Meteorological officials had forecasted surface winds of 60-70 kmph across the Kashmir and Jammu divisions, attributing the strong winds to a steep pressure gradient. While the weather improved by Saturday morning, the impact of Friday’s storm lingered, with cleanup efforts ongoing and flight schedules still recovering.
This incident marks yet another instance of weather-related disruptions at Srinagar Airport, a key travel hub in the region. Earlier this year, snowfall and dense fog led to similar cancellations, highlighting the challenges of maintaining consistent flight operations in Kashmir’s unpredictable climate. As the region braces for more seasonal weather shifts, authorities and airlines are urged to enhance contingency plans to mitigate the impact on travelers.
For now, the focus remains on clearing the aftermath of the strong winds and restoring full flight operations at Srinagar Airport, as the city recovers from a day of chaos brought by nature’s fury.