E-Paper
Mohali: Industrialists frustrated over no new international flights
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, 2015, the airport, formerly known as Chandigarh International Airport, is a joint venture of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the governments of Punjab and Haryana
Despite the commencement of round-the-clock operations at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport since April 2019, authorities have not proposed any new international flights.
There is strong resentment among industrialists in Mohali over the issue. They point out that the airport is strategically located, surrounded by four states - Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and parts of Jammu & Kashmir, along with Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh.
The airport is equipped to handle wide-bodied aircraft, making it an important hub in north India. However, there are currently only two international connections with just nine flights per week, rendering it underutilised for international travellers.
At present, the airport offers only two international flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Industrialist Hari Om Verma, who has taken up the issue with the ministry of civil aviation and international airlines, remarked, “It is surprising that experts are suggesting international flights to destinations like Doha, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and Istanbul, but they fail to address the most critical issue - what will happen to passengers who require further connectivity from these destinations?”
“This situation leads to unnecessary public expenditure as families endure up to seven hours of road travel by cabs and cars to reach the Delhi airport. Over 5,000 vehicles make daily trips for this purpose, contributing to severe road congestion on the national highway between Chandigarh and Delhi. Furthermore, all export and import cargo shipments are routed through Delhi airport, incurring additional costs for inland transportation of goods and machinery to and from factories in the region,” Verma added.
Vivek Kapoor, a Mohali-based industrialist, said, “In September this year, we held a meeting with airport authorities and urged them to introduce more international flights. Travellers from this region are forced to rely on New Delhi or Amritsar airports, either by road or rail, to access destinations in Europe, America, and Australia.”
He further stated, “A direct flight to Singapore would eliminate the need for Tricity residents to travel to Delhi for onward connections, making it a significant relief for the region.”
Anurag Aggarwal, former president of Mohali Industries Association, said, “It has been almost eight years since the international airport was inaugurated, but no new international flights have been added due to vested interests.”
The airport was renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in September 2022, commemorating the freedom fighter’s 115th birth anniversary.
According to airport sources, the expansion of international flights from Chandigarh depends on foreign carriers being granted a “point of call,” which requires bilateral air service agreements between countries.
In its report in July last year, a parliamentary standing committee noted that Indian carriers had fewer points of call abroad as compared to international carriers operating at Indian airports. The committee urged the civil aviation ministry to negotiate more points of call for Indian carriers to promote international connectivity.
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, 2015, the airport, formerly known as Chandigarh International Airport, is a joint venture of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the governments of Punjab and Haryana. Punjab contributed 307 acres of land in Mohali for the airport project. With an investment of ₹485 crore, Punjab and Haryana each hold a 24.5% stake, while the AAI holds the majority share of 51%.
