CHANDIGARH, Mar 29 : Flight bookings for Halwara airport in Punjab are set to begin in April, with the first commercial flight likely to take off between May 10 and 15, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu said on Sunday.
Describing it as a proud moment for the state, Bittu said operations will commence with a 160-seater Airbus A320 aircraft.
“Initially, there will be two daily flights between Delhi and Halwara, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, marking a major leap in connectivity for the region,” Bittu said in a post on X.
Bittu congratulated the people of Punjab and said the long-awaited development would boost travel, trade and overall economic growth in the state.
Meanwhile, Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora said he had already confirmed during a press briefing in Ludhiana on March 26 that flight bookings for Halwara would begin the following week.
In an apparent swipe at the Union minister, Arora said the announcement was reiterated “after three days”.
“Some opportunists are merely repeating whatever has been brought into the public domain by me regarding Halwara Airport,” Arora was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Punjab government.
Bittu, the BJP leader from Punjab, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, “Grateful to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for his vision and continued commitment to strengthening infrastructure and empowering Punjab.
“I also remain committed, as Union Minister, to continuously working towards Punjab’s growth and ensuring such transformative projects reach the people,” he said in the post.
Modi, during his visit to Jalandhar last month, virtually inaugurated the terminal building at Halwara airport in Ludhiana.
Developed at the Indian Air Force base in Halwara in the Raikot subdivision, the civil terminal is expected to significantly enhance air connectivity and boost industrial and economic growth in the region.
The operationalisation of Halwara airport’s terminal building is expected to enhance air connectivity in the region significantly, providing a boost to industrial activity, tourism, healthcare, and education, and thereby contributing to the overall socio-economic development of Punjab.
The air connectivity from Ludhiana has been one of the major demands of the city-based industrialists who either have to take flights from Delhi, Chandigarh or Amritsar. According to the Punjab government statement, the project’s operationalisation is the result of sustained, multi-level efforts spearheaded by Arora, who is also a former Rajya Sabha MP, as he pursued the matter relentlessly over the years.
It reflects Arora’s unwavering commitment to strengthening regional connectivity and supporting Punjab’s industrial and economic growth, particularly for Ludhiana and surrounding districts, the statement said.
Arora’s sustained follow-up, policy engagement, and coordination with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, airline operators, and the Punjab government ensured that the long-pending project was finally brought to fruition, it further said.
The Punjab minister said the operationalisation is expected to significantly enhance regional air connectivity, reduce travel time for industry and passengers, and provide a major boost to Punjab’s industrial, export, and investment ecosystem, particularly benefitting Ludhiana, one of North India’s largest manufacturing hubs. (PTI)
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