Civilian aviation came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport as the Indian Air Force (IAF) assumed full operational control of the facility amid heightened regional tensions.
All 52 commercial flights from the Chandigarh airport were suspended indefinitely following the launch of Operation Sindoor   a strategic military offensive targeting terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. This sudden shift in command has left close to 10,000 daily passengers stranded and scrambling for alternative routes. The airport, a critical hub connecting northern India to cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and international destinations including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has gone silent as airspace over the region tightens. While the military exercise underscores India’s growing emphasis on national security, its ripple effect has paralysed civilian movement and disrupted daily lives.
With zero commercial operations permitted, the decision has set off a cascade of logistical challenges. From vacationing families stuck without travel options to international travellers forced to return to their hometowns, the chaos was visible across the airport precinct. Travellers who had arrived early morning were halted at the terminal gate, many seen sitting on pavements in frustration, their phones glowing with train schedules and bus routes. Cab drivers in the area were quick to capitalise, with fares to Delhi reported to have surged beyond ₹17,000. For several hours, airport authorities refrained from issuing a detailed public statement, later confirming on social media that all commercial flights had been grounded due to airspace constraints. The closure also exposed vulnerabilities in regional transport resilience — with no emergency coordination between the airport, railways, or roadways to support displaced flyers.
In an adaptive response, local travel agencies have initiated rerouting processes and full refunds for cancelled bookings. Some city hotels have partnered with agents to offer complimentary stays for stranded travellers, although reports emerged of others charging above-normal rates. Meanwhile, road travel saw a sharp uptick as agencies began promoting intra-city and nearby holiday destinations to mitigate client losses. Industry insiders have acknowledged the necessity of the airport’s closure under current geopolitical threats, but they also raised concerns about the lack of passenger preparedness and contingency planning. The dual-use airport, managed in part by the Airports Authority of India and primarily operated by the Indian Air Force, has long been at the crossroads of civil-military coordination. However, the abrupt shutdown again highlights the need for clearer communication protocols during national emergencies.
While the situation is fluid and the reopening timeline remains uncertain, what remains clear is the human toll of geo-political tensions. The incident has reignited conversations about the fragility of urban mobility systems and the pressing need for sustainable, decentralised transport alternatives. For now, thousands of air passengers  many with time-sensitive medical, professional, or personal commitments  remain grounded, waiting for the skies over Chandigarh to reopen.
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