Centre gives nod to airport in Ambala, site selection begins

Tribune News Service

Ambala, June 4

Soon, you can fly within country from Ambala Cantonment. The Union Government has approved a domestic airport for the city, following which the process for selection of the site has been initiated.

Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij disclosed this while chairing a meeting of officials concerned here today.

Deputy Commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar, Chandigarh airport director Sunil Kumar Goswami and SDM Vivek Chaudhary were present at the meeting.

Vij asked the officials to identify at least three to four suitable sites for the domestic airport while keeping in view the expansion possibilities.

The DC showed the blueprints of a few sites available for the purpose and said the district administration was in the process to identify more suitable sites for the airport.

Vij directed the DC to finalise the site selection and send it to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and other ministries for approval so that the work on the project could begin soon.

The minister said as per the initial plan, two direct flights to Lucknow and Srinagar would take off from Ambala. The airport director said a team of the Ministry of Civil Aviation had visited Ambala Cantonment recently to shortlist a suitable site for the project.

He assured that the most suitable site recommended by the district administration would be approved by the ministry and the work on the domestic airport would begin shortly.

Not a rational move: Travel consultant

"Why another airport at Ambala when we already have an international airport in Chandigarh. Instead, the authorities must upgrade the Chandigarh airport  with  more flights & facilities"  Vikas Bhasin