HC tells stakeholders to discuss upgrade of international airport

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 30

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed all stakeholders to put their heads together on February 12 for discuss the suggestions put forth by the contractor carrying the work to upgrade the runway at the Chandigarh international airport. 

The direction came after the contractor told the court that his suggestions would help in reducing the time for carrying the work.  As the case came up for resumed hearing this afternoon, the Division Bench of Justice AK Mittal and Justice Amit Rawal asked senior advocate Manmohan Lal Sarin and the airport authorities to come out with a report on the February 12 meeting. The Bench also called for a status report on the next date of hearing.

The participants include senior advocate Sarin, representatives of Chandigarh International Airport Limited, the Airport Authority of India and airlines operating from Chandigarh, along with the contractor.

Appearing before the Bench for the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Airport Authority, Assistant Solicitor-General of India Chetan Mittal submitted that the payment for all bills pending till January 26 had been made to the contractor.

Present in the court, the contractor suggested that he had been given two weeks’ time from February 12 to 26, when the airport would remain closed for the runway repairs. He had also been given another two weeks’ closure time in July-August. The contactor suggested that he would be able to cut the time required for upgrade, if he was given at least a week more now, instead of July-August. The case will now come up on February 23 for further hearing.

The airport authorities have already made it clear that no civil and military flight will operate from Chandigarh following runway resurfacing work by the Indian Air Force from February 12 to 26, 2018. 

The authorities have also claimed that the runway length was being extended from the present 9,000 feet to 10,400 feet to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft, such as Boeing 777, 787 and 747 for facilitating long haul flights from Chandigarh to destinations in Europe, USA, Canada and the UK.  

The Mohali Industries Association had earlier moved the High Court seeking directions to the Union of India to submit a status report on re-carpeting and up-gradation of runway.

The developments took place during the hearing of a petition filed by the Mohali Industries Association against the non-operation of the Chandigarh international airport.