IAF takes over airport, all civilian flights cancelled

Mock drills, air raid sirens, blackouts: Tricity tests its emergency readiness

- Hillary Victor

MOHALI: All 52 flights operating from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali, have been cancelled until further notice, with the Indian Air Force taking complete control over the airport on Wednesday morning.

The move came after India launched missile strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of "Operation Sindoor" in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL) chief executive officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar confirmed that the Air Force has assumed full control over the airport and all domestic and international flights remain suspended until further orders.

To be sure, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages the civil terminal in coordination with the Punjab and Haryana governments while the runway operations and air traffic control are overseen by the Chandigarh Air Force Station, which also determines operational hours for commercial flights.

In an alert issued on 'X', the airport authorities said: "Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, all flights to and from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport are suspended until further notice. For assistance with rescheduling or refunds, please contact your respective airlines."