International Airport at Halwara almost complete on Civil Side; MP Arora meets senior IAF officials for completion

Ludhiana, June 12, 2024: Most of the works of the under-construction International Airport at Halwara are either completed or nearing completion, said MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora in a statement here on Wednesday. 

Arora said he recently took update on project from all the concerned central and state departments and contractors. In the update, Arora was apprised about current progress of the project. The authorities apprised Arora that 97 per cent work of Terminal Building has been completed and only finishing items are left which will be completed at the time of handing over. The work of Sub Station and Toilet Block has been 100 per cent completed. 80 per cent works of Apron and Taxiway has been completed. The remaining work is in progress & the deadline for completion has been fixed for July 31, 2024. 90 per cent work of Internal Roads and lighting, Public Health Works has been completed. The remaining work is in progress the deadline for completion has been fixed for July 31, 2024. 85 per cent work of approach road to airport campus, 80 percent work of Bridge Entry Road and 30 per cent works inside premises of IAF have been completed. The remaining work is in progress and deadline for the same has been fixed for July 31, 2024. Most of the balance work has to be done with coordination of IAF. Local engineering department of IAF is in process of taking requisite approvals from IAF Headquarters in Delhi.

Further, Arora was apprised that overall progress of work in Airport Campus is 90 per cent and overall progress of work inside Indian Air Force Campus is completed. Work inside IAF Campus will be completed only after the overlay of taxiways by them.  

Arora said the authorities concerned have apprised him that the Indian Air Force has yet to begin the overlay of the runway and taxiway within the IAF campus. Consequently, the completion of the taxiways has been delayed, as this can only be finished once the overlay work commences. On June 6, 2024, a meeting was held with the CADO of the Indian Air Force, AAI, PWD, and contractors. During this meeting, a request was made once again for a specific date on which the IAF would start their portion of the work. In response, they assured that the work would begin by July 1, 2024.

Earlier, there were some delays in the approvals, resulting to which several components of the project had remained suspended for a long time. Then Arora had called on the then Civil Aviation Minister and Secretary and briefed them about issues in details, following which the Centre had showed prompt response and had accorded the formal approvals of the project. Arora said he had urged for early completion of the project at the Centre following which the Union Civil Aviation Secretary, Vumlunmang Vualnam had issued directions for the early completion of the project.

Arora has made several visits to the site to see progress of the work. He has been regularly monitoring the ongoing construction work. He has held several meetings with the Union Ministers, Secretaries and other concerned authorities since he has taken over as MP (Rajya Sabha) for early completion of the project. He said, in-fact, this is a “dream project” of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. The airport is being set up in an area measuring 161.28 acres. Of this area, the Terminal area is 2,000 square metres. The total project cost excluding land is around 70 Crores.

He hoped that the project after its completion will prove beneficial not for Ludhiana only but for whole of state as it will give a boost to economy of the state. He said air connectivity plays a major role in giving a push to economy of a state. He further hoped that his efforts will show a positive response soon.