AAI defers Halwara airport terminal inauguration; no new date announced
Ludhiana deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain confirmed the postponement, stating, 'We have been informed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials that the inauguration of the civil terminal has been postponed. No specific reason has been given for it yet.'
Developed at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Halwara in Raikot subdivision, the civil terminal was a long-pending demand of Ludhiana residents, especially the business community, to enhance the region's air connectivity. It is a significant project that has been in the pipeline for over seven years. It was first approved by the Punjab cabinet in 2018 during the Congress-led government and has since seen multiple delays and missed deadlines.
Though initially proposed as an international airport, the new terminal will begin operations with domestic flights only. As per current specifications, it is designed to handle one domestic flight at a time, with the capacity to accommodate 150 passengers during arrival and departure.
The terminal will effectively serve as a replacement for Ludhiana's existing Sahnewal Airport, which currently operates a single daily flight between Ludhiana and Hindon (Ghaziabad). Once Halwara becomes operational, Sahnewal is expected to shut down.
The construction of the terminal was in response to a longstanding demand by Ludhiana residents and industrialists for better air connectivity. The city, often referred to as the industrial capital of Punjab, has suffered from limited aviation infrastructure, forcing travellers to rely on faraway airports like Delhi, Chandigarh and Amritsar.
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