SRINAGAR, April 18: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Friday international flights would operate out of Srinagar, but did not specify when the service would start.

Mr Vajpayee, on his second tour of occupied Kashmir in a year, laid a foundation stone at the airport marking the start of an upgrade of the facility — a long pending demand of the Srinagar government.

“Now international flights will start from (held) Kashmir,” the Indian premier said later at a rally.

He did not specify when the facility would be available.

Consecutive governments in held Kashmir have demanded that international flights be allowed into Srinagar to boost tourism.

Mr Vajpayee said that for the first time this year, flights carrying Haj pilgrims had left directly from Srinagar.

During the foundation-laying ceremony at the Srinagar airport, where anti-aircraft guns were placed in position, Vajpayee said: “This is a connectivity era.”

“We want to connect all parts of the country by plane,” the premier said.

“Distances should be bridged, people should be able to travel faster, comfortably, and I think Srinagar airport will be a magnificent airport. People will also come to see this airport, not just to fly out of it.” —AFP