Halwara Civil Terminal Inauguration Deferred

28 Jul 2025 CW Team

The long-anticipated inauguration of the newly built civil terminal at Halwara, in Punjab's Ludhiana district, has been postponed, officials confirmed on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was originally scheduled to inaugurate the terminal virtually on 27 July, but the event has been deferred with no official reason provided.

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain stated, “We have been informed by officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) that the inauguration has been postponed. No specific explanation has been shared yet.”

Located at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Halwara, Raikot subdivision, the civil terminal fulfils a longstanding demand from Ludhiana’s residents—particularly the business community—for improved regional air connectivity. The project has been in development for over seven years, first approved in 2018 during the Congress-led Punjab government, but has experienced multiple delays.

Although initially envisioned as an international airport, the terminal will commence operations with domestic flights only. It is currently equipped to handle one flight at a time, accommodating 150 passengers during arrivals and departures.

The new terminal is expected to replace the existing Sahnewal Airport, which currently operates just one daily flight between Ludhiana and Hindon (Ghaziabad). Upon commencement of operations at Halwara, Sahnewal is likely to be shut down.

The terminal’s construction addresses Ludhiana’s chronic aviation gap. Often referred to as the industrial capital of Punjab, the city has long depended on distant airports such as Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar, affecting business and travel convenience.

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