WHAT COULD NOT BE DELIVERED IN 30 YEARS AAP GOVT DELIVERED IT IN 3 YEARS : SANJEEV ARORA
MP Arora visits Halwara Airport in With Citizens, Municipal Councillors, and Industrialists
Chandigarh/Ludhiana, April 27
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, accompanied by Ludhiana residents, municipal councillors, and industrialists, visited Halwara Airport on Sunday to review the ongoing progress of work. During his visit, he toured the airport premises and expressed complete satisfaction with the work completed so far.
MP Arora noted that the project had been stalled for nearly thirty years and lamented that representatives of previous state governments had failed to complete it. He added that after becoming a Rajya Sabha MP, he immediately prioritized the project. With the support of AAP’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the project is now 100% complete at a cost of approximately Rs. 60 crores.
Calling it a dream project of Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, Arora explained that, as per the initial design, a barbed wire fence had been erected around the airport. However, during an AAI inspection in March this year, it was decided to replace the barbed wire with a concrete boundary wall. He mentioned that the AAI team also made a few other suggestions, which are currently being implemented and are likely to be completed soon.
He informed that the next AAI inspection visit is scheduled for April 30. Once the airport is handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) by the Public Works Department, the process of deputing staff will begin.
Initially, the AAI plans to operate two flights—one each in the morning and afternoon. These flights will connect Ludhiana via Delhi with Europe, as well as countries like the US, Canada, and Australia. Arora emphasized that this connectivity would provide a significant boost to the economy of the entire Punjab region, especially the Malwa belt and Ludhiana. He expressed hope that flight operations would commence within the next two to three months.
He also shared that the airport has been allotted the code “HWR.” Regarding the naming of the airport, he clarified that the state government can only recommend a name, while final approval rests with the Centre.
In response to questions, Arora stated that the airport is equipped with a CAT-II system, which enhances its operational efficiency under low-visibility conditions. He further mentioned that the taxiway has the capacity to park two aircraft at a time and that the existing infrastructure can comfortably accommodate around 12 flights per day. However, he assured that there is ample provision for future expansion.
The industrialists and municipal councillors who accompanied MP Arora to Halwara Airport were highly appreciative of him. They gave full credit for the completion of the project to Arora.
Kamal Oswal of Oswal Group said that the project was completed due to the relentless efforts of MP Arora, who worked day and night to make it a success. He emphasized that the airport would give a major push to the economy not only of Ludhiana but of the entire Punjab. He added that since Ludhiana is well-known for its import and export businesses, every business sector would benefit significantly once the flights become operational. He stressed that air connectivity is the need of the hour.
Gagan Khanna (Arisudana Industries Ltd) said it was an eye-opener for him after visiting the airport. He expressed hope that the establishment of the airport would provide a substantial boost to the entire area, which had been neglected for decades due to the lack of air connectivity. He pointed out that the project is finally taking off after more than 40 years, thanks to Arora’s efforts.
Rajesh Aggarwal, an exporter, said that exports from Ludhiana would increase manifold once the airport becomes operational. He also credited Arora for this major achievement.
Municipal Councillors Tanvir Singh Dhaliwal, Bhupinder Singh Kainth, Gurpreet Babbal, and Satnam Sunny Master also praised Arora, acknowledging that the airport was completed solely due to his dedicated efforts. They mentioned that for the past 30-40 years, they had only heard about the airport project, which remained confined to paper. They said the airport has finally materialized on the ground because of Arora’s hard work and sincerity. They hoped that the airport would prove to be a boon for the economy of Ludhiana and other parts of Punjab. They added that the people of Punjab should be grateful to Arora for setting yet another milestone in the state’s history.
