28 Airports Closed Across 8 States After Indian Airstrikes on Pakistan; High Alert in Border Areas
New Delhi, 8th May 2025: Amid heightened tensions following India’s airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the central government has shut down 28 airports across eight states until May 9. The move comes as a precaution to secure civilian airspace and critical infrastructure near the western border.
The affected states include Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Major civilian airports impacted are Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Rajkot, Dharamshala, Amritsar, Bhuj, and Jamnagar. Additionally, operations at Gwalior Airport in Madhya Pradesh and Hindon Airbase in Uttar Pradesh have also been suspended.
Delhi Airport Issues Advisory
Delhi International Airport, though not among the closed facilities, issued an advisory urging passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. “All four runways and terminals are operational. However, some flights have been disrupted due to changing airspace conditions,” the advisory stated.
430 Flights Cancelled in India, 147 in Pakistan
Airlines including Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and several foreign carriers have cancelled around 430 flights, roughly 3% of India’s daily air traffic. Meanwhile, 147 flights were cancelled in Pakistan, accounting for nearly 17% of their total daily operations.
Border States on High Alert After ‘Operation Sindoor’
The heightened security comes 15 days after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. In retaliation, India struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoK late Tuesday night, in a military action dubbed Operation Sindoor.
State-Wise Emergency Measures
Punjab: All government and private schools have been shut in six border districts — Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran — until further notice. The state police force is on high alert with all leaves cancelled. The Gurdaspur district administration has imposed a nighttime blackout from 9 PM to 5 AM on May 8. Public programs have been postponed across the state.
Haryana: The Health Department has cancelled leaves of all doctors and staff, instructing hospitals to keep 25% of beds reserved for emergencies. Access to Hisar Airport has been blocked due to security concerns.
Rajasthan: Schools have been closed in four districts — Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has directed cancellation of police leaves and enhancement of border security. A high-level review meeting was held by Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant and DGP U.R. Sahu with district officials.
Jammu and Kashmir: A high-security alert is in effect with schools shut across 10 districts: Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, and areas around Srinagar Airport and Avantipora Airbase. Security forces have been heavily deployed in border zones.
