Halwara airport nearing completion, flights to begin soon, says MP Arora

Flights from the Halwara airport, connecting Ludhiana to domestic and international destinations, will soon become a reality. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora announced on Monday that civic works at the airport were nearly complete, with only a few formalities remaining to be addressed. Responding to a question at a press conference related to the extension of the operating hours of eateries by the Commissionerate Police, Arora provided updates on the airport project.

Arora shared that an Airports Authority of India (AAI) inspection team visited the airport on March 27 for the first time and made several observations. “One of the main issues raised by the AAI team was the replacement of the existing barbed wire fencing with a boundary wall, despite the former being built as per the approved designs,” Arora said, adding, “Work is now in full swing to comply with all the AAI’s observations.” He said he was personally monitoring the progress on a daily basis and expressed confidence that the pending work would be completed soon.

The AAI is expected to conduct a follow-up inspection once all the recommended changes are implemented. The airport will then be officially handed over from the Public Works Department (PWD) to the AAI.

Initially, two daily flights are expected to operate from the airport. “One flight in the morning will connect Ludhiana to Europe, while an afternoon flight will provide connectivity to the US and Australia,” Arora said.

At the outset, check-in will take place at Halwara, while immigration and customs services will be handled in Delhi. These services will be introduced at Halwara as passenger traffic increases over time, he added. Arora highlighted the significance of the project, calling it a major economic catalyst for Ludhiana and Punjab. “This is a dream project of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and will greatly benefit the region,” he said.

Ludhiana