Mohali Industries Assn files PIL against Centre

Our Correspondent

Mohali, December 24

The Mohali Industries Association (MIA) has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Centre in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for not making the international airport operational for international flights to and from Mohali.

The association said the airport was built for the purpose of trade and business promotion for the industry in Mohali. However, it was disheartening to note that the Central Government had not yet given a go-ahead for operating international flights from the region. An amount of Rs 960 crore had been invested in building the international airport and the total investment would go waste if the facilities were utilised for domestic flight operations only.

Sanjeev Vashisht, MIA president, said the Government of Punjab, through various business initiatives, had called for investment and industries in the state by representing that Chandigarh International Airport provided connectivity to three states and linked the region with the world.

Gagan Chhabra, general secretary, said the airport had been constructed for promoting the interests of the industry. However, if international flights were not made operational at the earliest, it would pose a great loss to the potential foreign investment in the region.

The industry urged the Centre to take prompt action and begin international flight operations from the new airport at the earliest. A notice of motion had been issued for January 15, said Vashisht.