Sandhu pushes for point of call status for Chandigarh airport to unlock global routes

Rajya Sabha member seeks direct flights to London, Vancouver, and Singapore; calls for enhanced cargo capacity to boost Punjab’s exports.

Seeking to transform the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport into a major global gateway, Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu on Tuesday urged the Union government to designate the airport as a point of call.

Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu speaking during Zero Hour on Tuesday. He urged the Union government to designate the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport as a point of call.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Sandhu emphasised that this designation is a vital prerequisite for foreign carriers to operate international flights from Chandigarh.

The MP underscored the pressing need for direct air connectivity to London, Vancouver, and Singapore to serve the Punjabi diaspora and local travellers. At present, the airport only operates flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi via a domestic carrier.

Sandhu said that the airport serves a combined population of nearly 7 crore across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. While the facility is equipped to handle 60 lakh passengers annually, it currently caters to 40 lakh, leaving significant room for expansion.

Acknowledging the aviation sector’s growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting the rise from 74 airports in 2014 to over 163 today, Sandhu praised the recent naming of Adampur airport after Guru Ravidas and the inauguration of the Halwara airport. However, he remarked that “Punjabis ka dil maange more,” calling for increased flight frequencies and enhanced cargo capacity at both Chandigarh and Amritsar airports to bolster the state’s export potential.

Since its inauguration in 2015 and subsequent renaming in 2022, Chandigarh airport has remained off the bilateral offer list. Sandhu’s demand aims to bridge this gap, allowing international airlines to tap into the region’s high demand for global travel.