IAF air shows in Chandigarh: CTU services to remain affected on October 6, 8

CTU will be running a shuttle service to ferry spectators between alighting/parking points and Sukhna Lake against an online payment of ₹20 through the Chandigarh Tourism app after booking of entry pass

With the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) diverting around 400 of its buses for the Indian Air Force (IAF) air show at Sukhna Lake on October 6 and 8, its normal services will remain affected on both days.

Senior UT officials said all 35,000 slots each for the rehearsal air show on October 6 and final event on October 8 were booked. (HT)

CTU will be running a shuttle service to ferry spectators between alighting/parking points and Sukhna Lake against an online payment of ₹20 through the Chandigarh Tourism app after booking of entry pass.

UT transport director Pradhuman Singh said normal services will be available till 10.30 am and after 8 pm on both days. “Some electric buses are also on VIP duty, so their services will also be unavailable for a few hours,” he said.

All air show passes booked

Meanwhile, senior UT officials said all 35,000 slots each for the rehearsal air show on October 6 and final event on October 8 were booked.

Rupesh Aggarwal, director, tourism, UT, said, “All passes for October 8 got booked on Tuesday itself. Around 27,000 seats for October 6 were also booked on Tuesday, while the rest were availed on Wednesday afternoon. Since all slots got booked, people were facing difficulties in using the app. We personally contacted each and every person who sent us a complaint and helped them.”

He added that people from foreign countries, including Australia and Canada, had also booked passes through the mobile app.

Both the rehearsal and final event, which will be presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, are scheduled from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm. Attendees must be seated by 2 pm.

Sukhna Lake will remain out of bounds for visitors till 6 pm on both October 6 and October 8.

Meanwhile, the UT administration has decided to keep Bird Park also closed for visitors on both days in view of the air shows at nearby Sukhna Lake.

The Indian Air Force has decided to celebrate this year’s annual Air Force Day parade and flypast in Chandigarh. Around 80 aircraft will take part in the air show and almost all of them will rehearse at the lake on Thursday.

The aircraft will include Rafale, Prachand, Sukhoi Su-30, Jaguar, Chinook, Apache and Mi-17. Sarang air display and Surya Kiran aerobatics teams will also perform at the shows, which will commence after half-an-hour programme by the Akashganga Paratrooper team.