Punjab government’s move to increase length of Chandigarh airport runway draws a flak

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 28

Residents and city-based NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch have criticised the Punjab government’s decision to increase the length of Chandigarh airport runway to accommodate flights to the United Kingdom (UK).

They were reacting to the statement of Vishavjit Khanna, secretary, Civil Aviation, Punjab, in which he stated that the government was trying its best to increase the length of the runway of Chandigarh airport to 10,500 feet so that long haul flights to destinations like UK may be started for the people of the state.

A city resident Manmohan Singh said the SAD-BJP coalition government never evinced similar keenness to restart the withdrawn Amritsar – London – Toronto flights of Air India from Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport.

Amritsar airport is catering to international flights since 1960. At present five international airlines — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Malindo of Malaysia and Scoot of Singapore — are operating 42 international flights per week, along with Air India Express and Spice Jet, which have flights for Dubai from the holy city.

Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that even now Air Inida’s Amritsar– Delhi – London indirect hub and spoke flight has won the distinction of being number one among its all international flights operating from Delhi in 2015-16.

Sikhs and Punjabis living abroad prefer to fly direct to Amritsar to pay obeisance at the Harmander Sahib, which is a must visit place for them whenever they come to India.

Besides, Amritsar stands fifth among the 10 most visited places in the world. Every day, nearly one lakh people from India and abroad visit the Golden Temple.

Amritsar Vikas Manch president Kulwant Singh Ankhi said the international airport was being accorded step-motherly treatment by the state government. He said the Punjab government was eager to start flights to the UK from Chandigarh, but it never spared a thought on restarting the withdrawn Amritsar – London – Toronto flights of Air India from the city.

“It’s irony that the Punjab government doesn’t know that Amritsar airport has the longest runway of 12,000 ft, equal to its Delhi counterpart. There is no technical problem in starting direct Amritsar – London – Toronto flight, which was withdrawn by Air India in 2010 after successful operation for five years, only to benefit GMR of Delhi airport”, he remarked.

He said despite having a coalition government at the Centre SAD did not make efforts to restart the flight. He claimed that the whole propaganda machinery of the state government, including vans displaying progressive Punjab advertisements, were focusing only on Mohali airport. There was no mention of Amritsar airport, which can handle a big plane like Boeing 747, he added.

The NGO claimed that the Akali government was concentrating on developing Mohali airport due to vested interests of colonisers, politicians, bureaucrats, besides other factors.

Amritsar has a civil airport owned by Airport Authority of India. It is operational for 24 hours. It has apron that can handle 14 aircrafts at a time. The strength of its runway is being increased from 65 PCN to 71 PCN.