International flights from Mohali airport soon

Varinder Singh

Chandigarh, January 21

International flights at the upcoming Mohali international airport will take off by August-end. The Rs 475 crore airport (minus land cost) is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources in the Punjab government said. 

Air India, Indigo and Spicejet have secured permission for operating flights between Chandigarh and Dubai and Chandigarh and Sharjah. “Air Arabia has also applied for permission to operate flights from Chandigarh to Sharjah. The issue of night operations is almost sorted out,” said Viswajeet Khanna, Principal Secretary, Civil Aviation, Punjab. 

“Everything is going as per the schedule and 86 per cent work on the new airport terminal building has been completed. We will hand it over to our testing unit by the end of June,” said DK Kamra, General Manager, Airport Authority of India (AAI). 

After direct flights to the Gulf countries in the first phase, connecting flights to European and North America countries would be started in the second phase. While the airport infrastructure is with the AAI, the runway and flight operations are still under the Indian Air Force. The Chandigarh domestic airport, that handles 26 flights, will be closed down and the domestic flights will be shifted to the new airport. The domestic airport could be used for cargo operations or could be used as a flying club, said sources. 

The new international airport will have the capacity to handle more than 1,600 passengers at a time at its international and domestic terminals. 

Taking wings

• Flights to Gulf countries likely to start in August or Sept
• 3 airlines get nod to operate flights to Dubai, Sharjah
• 86 % work on the new airport terminal building completed

Main features 

• Handling capacity of 1,600 passengers at a time
• 53,000 sq m terminal building, including basement
• Parking capacity for 500 vehicles
• 48 check-in counters; six escalators, 14 lifts
• A 200-KW solar power plant on service yard rooftop