Flights from upcoming Halwara international airport soon: Centre

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, August 18

Flights from the upcoming international airport at Halwara in Ludhiana will begin after the completion of the ongoing construction work, the Centre has assured.

Besides, domestic flights will also be resumed from the existing Sahnewal airport here and more international flights will be introduced from the Mohali international airport in the near future.

Union Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal has given this assurance to Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora during a meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

The development assumes significance as the construction of a new integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal at Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the oldest frontline airbases of the Indian Air Force (IAF), close to Ludhiana, has already reached an advanced stage of completion. The Rs 47-crore civil aviation project is expected to be ready shortly.

Arora told The Tribune that he urged the Civil Aviation Secretary to persuade the leading airlines to operate flights from Delhi and Mumbai to the upcoming Halwara airport as soon as it gets ready.

He updated Bansal about the current status of the ongoing work at the Halwara airport, which, he said, would soon be ready for flight operations.

“In another couple of months, the Halwara airport will be ready in all aspects and will be able to cater to the domestic and international airlines,” the Rajya Sabha MP further told the Civil Aviation Secretary.

Arora said Bansal assured him that once the Halwara airport gets ready, the Civil Aviation Ministry would make sure that flight operations were launched immediately after that. “He hinted that Indigo will be the best option and he will persuade the leading airlines to launch domestic and international flights from the Halwara airport,” the Upper House member divulged, while quoting the Civil Aviation Secretary as saying.

Arora also requested Bansal to resume domestic flights from the Sahnewal airport under the Udaan Scheme 4.2 till the time the Halwara airport becomes operational, to provide regional connectivity and affordable air travel to the people of the area.

“Such steps would boost the economy and tourism of the state and benefit its people,” he felt while recalling that Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia had in January assured him to resume flight operations from Sahnewal but due to delayed arrival of aircraft and the impending DGCA approval, it has been delayed.

Arora said the Civil Aviation Secretary assured him that Sahnewal flight operations would also be resumed at an early date.

Taking up the issue of international flights from the Mohali international airport, Arora demanded flights to the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia from Mohali immediately.

Recently, the Union Civil Aviation Minister had confirmed to Arora that the Mohali airport has all approvals to fly anywhere in the world and it was up to carriers to begin the flights.

Arora had also urged CEOs of all the leading carriers to begin international flights from Mohali. The Civil Aviation Secretary explained to Arora about the shortage of aircraft, which was the main reason for the airlines not starting new flights.

On the issue, Arora urged Bansal to impress upon the airlines to make Mohali as origin of their existing international flights operating from Delhi and Mumbai and they could be routed through other major airports in the country as a stopgap arrangement till the time new aircraft were procured.

Union Civil Aviation Joint Secretaries Rubina Ali and Asangba Chuba were also present during the meeting.

Positive response: MP

“The Civil Aviation Secretary was affirmative and assured to meet all my demands pertaining to the Halwara, Sahnewal and Mohali airports. It will serve as a major reprieve to air travellers, besides giving a major push to the overall development of the region,” said Sanjeev Arora.

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