Finally, Chandigarh airport’s cargo complex takes off

Covering a total area of 2,400 square metres, the cargo facility consists of five sheds, set up at a cost of ₹12.45 crore

In the works since 2021, the integrated cargo complex at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport has finally been made operational.

Now, the Chandigarh airport is the only airport in northern India, after Delhi, with a cargo facility capable of handling 2,500 MT of cargo, he added. (HT File Photo)

Air cargo or air freight allows speedy transportation of commercial goods through an air carrier. Covering a total area of 2,400 square metres, the cargo facility consists of five sheds, set up at a cost of ₹12.45 crore.

“While the complex is designed to handle both domestic and international cargo, including perishable items, for now, it will handle domestic cargo only, as customs clearance is awaited for international cargo,” said Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, Chandigarh International Airport Limited.

Now, the Chandigarh airport is the only airport in northern India, after Delhi, with a cargo facility capable of handling 2,500 MT of cargo, he added.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security had granted the Regulated Agent status for cargo operations to the airport on June 7.

Notably, the facility has been launched nearly eight years after the airport got the international tag in September 2015.

Out of the five cargo sheds, four have been constructed using galvalume — a coating consisting of zinc, aluminium and silicon to protect steel from oxidation — with a total covered area of 1,976 square metres. Additionally, one prefabricated cargo shed, spanning 420 square metres, has been built to store perishable goods.

According to airport officials, the cargo complex is equipped with the latest equipment, such as cold rooms, reefer vans, fork lifts, scissors lifts, pallets, user-friendly weighing scales and trolleys to ensure smooth and seamless functioning. Moreover, the complex is equipped with high-security measures, including CCTV surveillance, door frame metal detector, explosive trace detector and X-Ray machines.

Welcoming the development, Anurag Aggarwal, president, Mohali Industries Association, said it was a long-pending demand of the industry in Mohali, as so far, consignments were being sent to the Delhi airport, where they remained lined up for 24 to 48 hours before being loaded on to the aircraft.

He said the facility will give boost to the industry, and provide easier access to international and domestic markets.