Team of Tata Group hold meeting with MP Arora requests Tata Sons Chairman, Air India assures flight to Halwara Airport

Ludhiana, August 16, 2024: A 4-member high-level team sent by N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, the holding company and promoter of all Tata Group companies, held a meeting with MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora in Delhi with regard to possibilities of starting flights from the upcoming Airport at Halwara, after completion of entire work of the airport in the near future.

Giving this information here today, Arora said Piyush Kharbanda (Government Relations & Corporate); Kartikey Bhat- Head Slots & Airport Relations, Air India; Shashi Chetia VP Network Planning & Alliances Air India Express; and Moin Wasil, AVP and Head - Regulatory Affairs at Vistara were present at the meeting.

Arora said he had requested Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran to accede to his request and start flights from the Halwara Airport. On this, the Tata Sons chairman sent a four-member high level team to him to have detailed discussions. He said he apprised the team members that he has personally reviewed the ongoing work at the Halwara Airport and found that almost 100 percent work has been completed at the civil side of the airport. However, some work is pending towards the IAF side, which is likely to be completed in the near future. After that, the Halwara Airport would be ready for making it operational.

Further, Arora said the team members told him that Tata Group is in the process of merger of airlines, which is likely to be completed in November this year. Till then, as per corporate policy they are not adding any new airport in schedule. The team members promised that the flights would be started after the merger process is completed in November. The team members further told Arora that in between, they would conduct a complete study on flights from the Halwara Airport.  The study will also look into the financial aspect, traffic, marketing etc of the flights.

Vistara, a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is in the process of merging with Air India in November this year. As part of consolidating its airline business, Tata Group is also merging Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India). The group announced the consolidation of its airline business in the form of a full-service carrier and a low cost airline by way of merging Vistara with Air India and AIX Connect with Air India Express. November is the deadline for these mergers. After merger there will be 2 airlines under Tata Group - Air India & Air India Express.

Meanwhile, Arora said the Halwara airport has the capacity to accommodate 300 passengers in one go. He added the airport has the provision for expansion in the future. He said two wide bodied aircrafts can be parked at one time. He reiterated that this Airport Project is the “dream project” of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann who sanctioned funds for it.

Arora reiterated that there has been some delay in completing the project and this happened due to delay in getting some approvals from AAI and IAF. The airport is being set up in an area measuring 161.28 acres. Of this area, the built-up Terminal area is 2,000 square metres. The total project cost excluding land is around Rs.70 Crores.

He hoped that the project after its completion will prove beneficial not for Ludhiana only but for the whole of Punjab as it will give a boost to the economy of the state. He pointed out that air connectivity plays a significant role in giving a push to the economy of a state. He hoped that the airport will be a big asset not only for Ludhiana but for the whole of the state.