Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, while participating in the Zero Hour discussion on Thursday, said the Centre is committed to further developing the Srinagar airport and informed that the current airport terminal is being expanded.

The administration has decided to start helicopter service for Chenab valley and Pir Panjal region of Jammu province to facilitate people to reach their remote homes during winter.

Jammu Apr 22 PTI Just two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Jammu and Kashmir security forces Friday foiled a suicide attack here by the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed eliminating two suspected Pakistani terrorists in an encounter after they fired on a CISF bus and killed an officer Officials said nine security personnel were injured in the gunfight near an Army camp in Sunjwan area on the outskirts of Jammu This led to a red alert being sounded across the region in view of the PMs scheduled visit to Palli Panchayat of Samba district on Sunday Director General of Police Dilbag Singh who visited the encounter site said the two terrorists were part of a suicide squad of Pakistan-based JeM and their infiltration could be a big conspiracy to sabotage the PMs visit A joint team of National Investigation Agency and State Investigation Agency visited the encounter site during the day They are likely to take over the case for investigation According to initial investigation the two terrorists entered the outskirts of Jammu city Thursday after infiltrating from the international border in R S Pura sector and were staying in a locality close to the Sunjwan Army camp Last night police and other forces were involved in an operation which culminated As per reports the two terrorists were part of JeMs suicide squad launched from Pakistan and tasked with targeting a camp of the security forces or engaging to inflict a lot of casualties the DGP told reporters near the scene of the encounter The terrorists were wearing suicide vests and also equipped with a huge quantity of arms and ammunition The encounter took place two days ahead of the prime ministers visit It is part of a big conspiracy to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Jammu and it could be a big conspiracy to sabotage the visit Singh said adding it is good that we got timely inputs and the operation was concluded successfully The operation began around 425 am on Friday when the two terrorists who were apparently moving towards the Army camp were spotted by the guards who were changing duties the officials said Around the same time a CISF bus carrying 15 personnel was proceeding towards the Jammu airport which is being guarded by the paramilitary force Apparently in a knee-jerk reaction the two terrorists lobbed a grenade towards the bus and sprayed it with bullets before escaping back into the nearby locality prompting the security forces to lay a cordon around the area A senior Central Industrial Security Force officer said the terrorists fired at the bus and lobbed grenades killing Assistant Sub-Inspector ASI S P Patel and injuring two other occupants The force retaliated effectively Later in a tweet the CISF said its personnel were attacked by terrorists while going for an ongoing cordon and search operation According to the police the gunfight began when the terrorists opened fire on the search party The officials said nine security personnel including two policemen were injured in the gunfight A CISF personnel and a police personnel sustained grievous injuries As the CISF troops retaliated the terrorists fled and jumped into the compound of a local resident Mahommad Anwar they said The security forces zeroed in on the house and killed one of the terrorists while he was moving towards the bathroom where his associate had taken a shelter they said Efforts to neutralise the second terrorist took longer He was killed in heavy gunfire and grenade hits they said adding the entire gunfight lasted a little over five hoursThe officials ruled out the possibility of a third terrorist being presentOn the identity of the slain terrorists DGP Singh said an investigation is on but prima facie it looks that the two were Pakistani nationals and had freshly infiltrated into India They have no history of terror activities in JK he said The DGP said three weapons along with a lot of grenades were recovered from their possession Responding to a question about local support to the terrorists Singh said We have certain leads and we are working on them Two AK-47 rifles an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher and a satellite phone were recovered from the slain terrorists the police said Mobile internet services were suspended and schools in the vicinity of the encounter site were closed for the day as a precautionary measure On February 10 in 2018 three JeM terrorists stormed the Sunjwan Army camp and in the subsequent gunfight seven people including six soldiers were killed All the three terrorists were also gunned down The officials said at least five suspected persons were lifted for questioning as a red alert was sounded across Jammu region following the incident The security forces have intensified checking of vehicles and area domination in Jammu city and elsewhere including highways the officials saidThe PM is scheduled to visit Sambas Pali village 17 km from here On National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 He is also scheduled to address a gathering This will be Modis first visit to Jammu and Kashmir other than borders since the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state and its bifurcation in August 2019Meanwhile the traffic police Jammu has issued an advisory in connection with the PMs visit announcing certain restrictions and route plans PTI TAS NES AB SKL TIR TIR

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 29 (ANI): The extended portion of the runway at the Joint User Airfield of Indian Air Force (IAF) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Jammu became operational on Friday.

Jammu Jan 19 PTI Security forces are on high alert along the Pathankot-Jammu National Highway to keep a vigil on any suspected movement to foil the designs of terrorists ahead of Republic Day celebrations officials said Border Security Force BSF troops have been deployed at Himachal Pradesh-Punjab checkpoint as a beefed-up security measure on the highway they said The security setup along the highway is on high alertness and checkings have been intensified as a measure to foil any design of anti-national elements they said The security grid has been put on high alert and security has been tightened at all vital installations in the twin border district of Kathua and Samba also along the highway they said Long-range patrolling LRP and area domination operations are on along border areas of twin districts to keep a close vigil on suspected activities they said Tight security arrangements have been put in place the counter-insurgency and the counter-infiltration grids have been tightened in the entire area a senior official said The security personnel have been beefed up at all check posts and have been asked to remain alert they said Security at vital installations in Jammu including the airport and railway stations has been increased BSF which guards the International Border IB in the Jammu region is maintaining a tight vigil In Pathankot BSF has been deployed at HP-Pathankot check post as a beefed-up security measure they said All the vehicles entering Pathankot from other areas are checked thoroughly and all details recorded they said PTI AB RCJ RCJ

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 8 (ANI): The Jammu Airport officials have intensified testing of the unvaccinated travellers including the Vaishno Devi pilgrims in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in the state.

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 8 (ANI): Amid a surge in cases of COVID-19, the health department has ramped up the testing and samples collection of tourists and pilgrims coming to the state.

Srinagar Sep 25 PTI International flight operations are likely to resume at the Srinagar airport as efforts are on to start services between here and Sharjah Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on SaturdayHe also said that the terminal at the Srinagar airport will be expanded from 25000 square metre to 63000 square metreThe first international flight connection from Srinagar to Sharjah in the United Arad Emirates will be started soon Efforts are on so that international travellers come directly to Srinagar This will be a historic decision not just for Jammu and Kashmir but the whole country Scindia told reporters hereThere will be an investment of Rs 1500 crore at the Srinagar airport while Rs 600 crore will be spent on the Jammu airportThe Jammu airport will have a new 25000 square metre terminal adding to the existing one the Union minister said The runway at the Jammu airport has been extended to 8000 feet and there will be no load penalty on flights at the airport from October 1 he saidThe minister said a new cargo terminal at the Srinagar airport constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore will be made functional on October 1On the issue of landing operations at the airport here he said the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir administration will hold discussions with the defence ministry for the installation of CAT-II ILS system for overcoming flight cancellations due to bad weatherScindia also held a review meeting at the airport and then held an hour-long discussion with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for strengthening the aviation infrastructure in the union territoryThe minister said he has requested Sinha to consider reducing the VAT on aviation turbine fuel to one per cent which will help in attracting more airlines to Jammu and KashmirIt will be a boost for tourism and development of Jammu and Kashmir as more flights will translate into more connectivity and more tourists he saidScindia said the Lieutenant Governor has also assured to transfer 122 acres of land needed for expansion of the Jammu airport to the Airport Authority of India AAI by October 10On the same day feasibility and design studies will be started he saidScindia and Sinha also discussed ways of using helicopter services for promoting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir as it is being done in states like UttarakhandOn surging air ticket prices during the winter season Scindia said he will have the alleged cartelisation investigatedWe will stop it if there is any cartelisation Also the best way to check this kind of practice is increasing the connectivity We are taking steps in that direction he addedThe Union minister said Article 370 which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019 was a hindrance in the way of social rural progress and everything in Jammu and KashmirPrime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged progress and development for this region so that it touches new heights of progress development and employment It is with this thought that Article 370 was revoked he saidScindia said in the last one-and-a-half years there has been a wave of development and progress in the union territoryAll the ministers coming here they are not here for tourism or picnic but they are bringing something with them for joining the population of Jammu and Kashmir with the mainstream of progress and development he addedUnion minister Nitin Gadkari will be coming here as well and will lay foundation of various developmental schemes including a 22-km Ring Road for Srinagar at the cost of Rs 3000 crore he saidScindia said under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana about 60000 youth have been provided with the employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir till nowAsked about Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan raking up the Kashmir issue in his video address to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Scindia said Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are the integral parts of IndiaIt is a single country and if any power thinks that it will be able to cut something out of it then they are mistaken Our country is one and united and it will remain so he said PTI SSB MIJ KJ KJ

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 21 (ANI): A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs visited the Frontier Headquarters of Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu and Border outpost (BOP) Makwal as a part of study visit on administration, development and people welfare in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.