MP Rajinder Gupta on Monday raised the issue of operationalising the Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Kartar Singh Sarabha airport at Halwara in the Rajya Sabha, urging immediate action. He said the airport could improve air connectivity for Ludhiana and the Malwa region, benefitting thousands of MSME owners.
Speaking in Parliament, Gupta highlighted the airport’s potential to drive development in Punjab’s industrial heartland. “Ludhiana alone contributes over ₹72,000 crore to India’s industrial output and is home to more than 1.5 lakh MSMEs, one of the highest concentrations in the country. Despite this, the region lacks a functional commercial airport, putting it at a competitive disadvantage compared with rapidly growing hubs such as Jaipur, Indore, Surat, Rajkot and Coimbatore,” he said.
He stresses the urgent need for improved air connectivity in Punjab, which has an NRI population of nearly 22–25 lakh, to support families, students, business travellers and medical emergencies. The MP said that the Halwara airport has the capacity to handle more than 2,500 passengers daily and operate 10–12 flights, connecting Ludhiana directly to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
Highlighting broader economic benefits, Gupta said operationalising the airport would reduce travel time and costs for MSME owners, ease congestion at Delhi and Chandigarh airports, lower fuel expenditure, cut carbon emissions and create thousands of jobs in aviation, logistics, warehousing, hospitality and retail. He called airports “economic multipliers,” noting that districts with airports often record GDP growth up to three times faster than those without such connectivity.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting broader economic benefits, Gupta said operationalising the airport would reduce travel time and costs for MSME owners, ease congestion at Delhi and Chandigarh airports, lower fuel expenditure, cut carbon emissions and create thousands of jobs in aviation, logistics, warehousing, hospitality and retail. He called airports “economic multipliers,” noting that districts with airports often record GDP growth up to three times faster than those without such connectivity.
{{/usCountry}}He also linked the proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” and the government’s push for expanding regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme.