| Amid militant threats, J&K asks for 'less security' at Jammu, Srinagar airports | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 10: Even as there are reports of militants planning to hijacking airplanes in J&K, the state government has purportedly urged the Union Home Ministry to relax security norms at Srinagar and Jammu airports.
The argument of the state government is that a "security overdrive" at the airports adversely affects tourism prospects in the state.
"Gun toting security personnel all around the airport areas intimidated tourists, particularly foreigners," the state government said, according to a report in published in a newspaper. Manned by the CRPF, the airports at Jammu and Srinagar have multiple layers of security, with passengers from Srinagar airport not allowed to carry handbags onto the planes.
"The state government has a point. The security overkill is a dampener for tourism prospects. They want the security provisions to be relaxed, if not withdrawn completely," the report quoted a senior Home Ministry official as saying. Apparently, a high-level meeting was convened last week at North Block in Delhi, where the issue was discussed. But the report also quoted another government official as saying that "the heightened threat around Srinagar airport is always a cause of concern. In the current scenario, there can be no reduction of security personnel at the two airports". |
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