Domestic flight services are set to begin from the newly inaugurated Halwara airport near Ludhiana in the first week of March, with Air India expected to operate flights between Delhi and Halwara, Punjab Industry and Commerce Minister Sanjeev Arora said on Wednesday.
“I am regularly in touch with Air India. Flights will start from Halwara airport in the first week of March,” Arora told reporters, adding that airlines are optimistic about passenger traffic from the new facility.
The minister said the airport will benefit not only Ludhiana but also the wider Malwa belt, including Moga, Ferozepur, Faridkot and Bathinda districts, improving regional connectivity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually inaugurated the terminal building during his visit to Jalandhar on Sunday.
Developed at an Indian Air Force base in the Raikot subdivision, the civil aviation terminal is expected to strengthen air connectivity and support industrial and economic growth in the region. The terminal has been built at a cost of Rs 54.67 crore as a joint venture between the Punjab government and the Airports Authority of India.
Officials believe the airport’s operationalisation will boost industrial activity, tourism, healthcare and education, contributing to the state’s socio economic development.
Improved air connectivity has long been a key demand of Ludhiana’s industrial sector, as many business travellers currently depend on airports in Delhi, Chandigarh or Amritsar for domestic and international flights.