Rajasthan: Jodhpur, Kishangarh airports closed till May 10; leaves of Rly officials cancelled

Jaipur, May 7 (IANS) A high alert has been issued across Rajasthan in the wake of air strikes by Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, prompting stringent security measures across the desert state, an official said on Wednesday.

Authorities have suspended all flight operations from Kishangarh and Jodhpur airports until May 10.

Additionally, Bikaner airport has been closed for the day, and IndiGo Airlines has canceled all its flights to Bikaner until further notice.

According to Jodhpur Airport Director Dr. Manoj Uniyal, nine flights were canceled on Wednesday, and passengers were promptly informed through text messages.

A Help Desk has also been established at the airport to assist travelers. A total of 16 flights operating from Kishangarh and Jodhpur will be affected due to the suspension over the next three days.

As a precautionary measure, schools in Sri Ganganagar, Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner -- all located near the international (India-Pakistan) border -- were closed on Wednesday.

Ongoing school examinations were also canceled following directives issued by respective District Collectors. In Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar, all government employees have been instructed not to leave their headquarters.

Their holidays have been cancelled, and they need to remain available for emergency duties as needed.

In a significant move, the North Western Railway has canceled all holidays of its officers and employees amid the heightened alert.

A circular issued by the General Manager of the railway zone directed all Divisional Railway Managers and department heads to ensure their staff report back to duty immediately.

These emergency steps are part of a broader state-level response to the regional security situation and aim to ensure preparedness for any eventuality along the border.

Earlier on Wednesday, in pre-dawn strikes, Indian Armed Forces targetted locations in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Barnala, where several major terrorist camps were operating. These camps were known to have trained terrorists involved in past attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2023 Poonch pilgrimage attack.

--IANS

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