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Kargil has become the latest airport in the country to get connected.
The first flight with a number of dignitaries, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, completed the journey between Jammu-Kargil and back on Monday.
According to sources, the flight is to be operated by Mantra Airways and is likely to be a daily service.
Aircraft
The flight is operated with a 17-seater aircraft and regular commercial operations are expected to begin in the next few days.
The Kargil airfield is at a height of 9,600 feet, only nine km away from the international border.
Service prospects
The work to begin the flight started in early 2011 with the Civil Aviation Ministry, setting up a Committee to look at the prospects of this service.
The Committee felt that there was a market potential of 100-150 passengers on the Srinagar-Kargil route on a weekly basis, and cargo requirement of about 750-1,000 kg on a daily basis.
smaller planes
Since Kargil is surrounded by mountains, only smaller planes (capacity up to 80 seats) with the ability to take off and land at high altitude could be permitted. The Kargil airport, which is under the jurisdiction of the Indian Air Force, was built by the Airports Authority of India with the Central budgetary support and handed over to the Air Force in 2003.
It has a civil enclave managed by the State Government.
ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in
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