Centre Seeks Possession of Halwara Airport to Begin Operations

31 Jan 2025 CW Team

The Centre has requested the Punjab state government to hand over physical possession of the civil airport terminal at Halwara airbase, so it can be made operational. The new international airport at Halwara, which has now been assigned its airport code, is set to launch once the terminal is fully completed. The bidding process for airlines' operations will begin soon, with sources indicating that it will take a couple of months before commercial flights start. Air India has already announced its plans to commence flights from Ludhiana once the airport is operational. This development is significant as, apart from the ongoing runway overlay, which is progressing rapidly, the airport is almost ready for operations. Both the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the state government have completed most of the pending work. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman, Vipin Kumar, conveyed this update in a letter to Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora, who had recently met with him to request the airport code and to discuss the launch date for operations. The airport's ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) code is required for identification purposes, and it will become operational once the terminal is handed over to the AAI. Arora has urged Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal to ensure the formal transfer of the new terminal building to the AAI as soon as possible to facilitate the airport's opening. As for the runway, the overlay of Taxi-A, Taxi-D, and the new link taxi inside the IAF premises is nearly complete, with the final deadline for the runway overlay set for March 31. (Tribune India)

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