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High court seeks CHIAL board’s record on abandoning shorter route to Chandigarh airport
The court was hearing a public interest litigation, pending since December 2015, when it was approached by the Mohali Industries Association, alleging lack of facilities at Chandigarh airport
The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought record from Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL), the airport operator, on decisions taken by its board about abandoning the shorter route project proposed by the Chandigarh administration, which could have brought down travel time between the city and airport from 25 minutes to 5 minutes.
The order was passed after it came before the court that Punjab government and CHIAL’s responses about abandoning the project were at variance.
“This court would like to peruse the aforesaid (cited by Punjab) objection in the backdrop of the serious conflict of views between learned Punjab state counsel who, inter-alia, contends that it was the objection of CHIAL board, which had led to abandoning of construction of Route A (proposed by UT), while the views of learned senior counsel appearing for CHIAL are at variance and it is submitted by him that there was no such objection made by CHIAL board,” the court said while deferring hearing to January 23.
CHIAL board consists of representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and the Airport Authority of India.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), pending since December 2015, when it was approached by the Mohali Industries Association (MIA), alleging lack of facilities at the airport. Since then, HC has been monitoring the progress of various projects at the airport.
The demand for this road started in 2016-17, mainly from Haryana and Chandigarh, to reduce travel time between Panchkula, Chandigarh and the airport. Later, after a study, a route was finalised, which was to start from Sector 48, and current distance between Chandigarh and the airport, 11.5 km, was to come down to only 3.5 km, thereby bringing the travel time down from 25 minutes to merely 5 minutes.
Initially, the Punjab government had also agreed and the then governor in 2022 had given “in principle” nod for the project. The central government had also cleared it.
However, in 2023, the Punjab government changed its stand and started work on a 164-foot-wide parallel road between the airport and Bawa White house in Mohali’s Phase 9, Industrial Area.
The ₹125-crore project, approximately 5-km long, is now set for completion in September 2025. Punjab is pitching this road as an alternative route in place of the one proposed by UT. However, it will not help airport goers from Chandigarh side, as distance remains almost the same.
Project will affect airport expansion: Punjab
As per affidavit of Punjab on this issue, if constructed, the route proposed by UT will have “adverse effects” on the airport expansion. The earmarked land is to be provided for maintenance and repair work adjoining the existing airport.
The road, if constructed, will cut through the connectivity of the airport to the area where these facilities are to come up in future. It will also hamper the potential expansion of the airport, the government has said.
The Punjab government has further stated that the proposed route runs along the boundary wall of Indian Air Force Station, Chandigarh, and cuts through the middle of the land reserved for the expansion of airport facilities in the GMADA Master Plan 2006-2031. This reserve land will be required to set up some facilities, which can’t be set up away from the airport, as per the government.
