Srinagar, April 23 (Reporter) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said it was heartbreaking to witness the exodus of tourists from the Valley following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. The attack, which took place on Tuesday in the scenic Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, left 25 tourists and one local resident dead. The incident has triggered widespread panic among visitors, many of whom are now seeking to return home at the earliest. To aid the evacuation efforts, Air India and IndiGo have announced the operation of four additional flights to accommodate the surge in outbound travel. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that while Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to organise extra flights, the National highway-44 between Srinagar and Jammu has been reconnected for traffic in a single direction. “It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave,” Omar said in a post on X. “While DGCA & the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to organise extra flights, NH-44 between Srinagar & Jammu has been reconnected for traffic in a single direction. I’ve directed the administration to facilitate traffic between Srinagar & Jammu allowing tourist vehicles to leave. This will have to be done in a controlled & organised way because the road is still unstable in places and we are also working hard to clear all the stranded vehicles. We will not be able to permit completely free movement of vehicles at the moment & we hope that everyone will cooperate with us,” the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the terror incident in Pahalgam, Ministry of Civil Aviation Directorate General of Civil Aviation in an advisory said there is an unexpected demand from tourists seeking to return to their homes. “The airlines are advised to take swift action to increase the number of flights in response to heightened demand and also ensure uninterrupted connectivity from Srinagar to various destinations across India, facilitating evacuation of stranded tourists,” the advisory said. The airlines were also requested to consider waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and provide all necessary assistance to tourists facing unexpected circumstances and challenges during this difficult time...////...