Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

Why Chandigarh's International Airport Remains A Domestic One

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Dec, 2015 12:30 PM
    It got a flying start, literally, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Chandigarh's new airport terminal in September with much fanfare. But Chandigarh's first step towards international air connectivity seems grounded - at least for the moment.
     
    The Chandigarh International Airport project, which was to connect the 'City Beautiful' to destinations like Dubai and other places like Bangkok, has not taken off and the city is unlikely to see any international flight in the near future.
     
    Though there were earlier announcements, from the Punjab government, that the Chandigarh airport would see its first international flight taking off from here on October 19, nothing happened. The next date speculated on was Nov 19 but that too did not materialise.
     
    "With the winter setting in, no airline is going to risk its international flight from here till February end as Chandigarh gets prolonged foggy weather. So the airport has to wait for at least another three months before any international flight actually takes off from here," an official of the international airport project told IANS here.
     
    The Chandigarh airport, which is operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is under the Ministry of Defence, does not have adequate facilities for flights to land and take off in fog.
     
    The IAF authorities do not allow commercial flights to operate between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Chandigarh airport. 
     
     
    The airport, which is a forward base for the huge IL-76 transport aircraft, is used by the IAF for air connectivity to Leh, Srinagar and other areas.
     
    "In December and January, the fog takes its toll on all flights to and from Chandigarh. Last year, several flights were affected for days together. During winter, due to the fog, flights are always uncertain," Naveen Soni, a frequent flyer businessman, told IANS.
     
    The city's airport operates 25 flights daily to destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Srinagar.
     
    Prime Minister Modi had, on September 11, inaugurated the new terminal of the airport, which has a provision for handling international flights and passengers. The new terminal is actually in Punjab's Mohali town.
     
    "We all want the international flights to start operating from here. It is long overdue. We have heard that one of the airlines will start their Dubai flight some time in February," Vikas Sharma, sales manager with Chandigarh-based Thakural Travels, told IANS.
     
    Though the northern region, especially Punjab, has a large number of international travellers and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), they have to depend mainly on Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport for connectivity.
     
     
    In the region, only the Guru Ram Dass Jee international airport at Amritsar caters to limited international flights. It connects to international destinations like Doha, Dubai and Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). Earlier, the Sikh holy city had flights to Birmingham and Toronto.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Under Fire Over suspension, SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar Reinstates Panj Pyaras

    Under Fire Over suspension, SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar Reinstates Panj Pyaras
    In an unprecedented move, the Panj Pyaras of the Akal Takht on October 23 had asked the SGPC to remove the Jathedars of five Takhts after they failed to turn up in the Golden Temple complex

    Under Fire Over suspension, SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar Reinstates Panj Pyaras

    Punjab Violence: Badal Replaces Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh With Suresh Arora

    Punjab Violence: Badal Replaces Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh With Suresh Arora
    Arora, a 1982-batch IPS officer, was serving as the Director General of Police-cum-Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau. 

    Punjab Violence: Badal Replaces Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh With Suresh Arora

    Teenage Girl Falls From 3rd Floor In South Delhi, Dies

    Teenage Girl Falls From 3rd Floor In South Delhi, Dies
    A teenaged girl died after allegedly slipping and falling from third floor balcony of her house in the Safdarjung Enclave area here on Saturday, police said.

    Teenage Girl Falls From 3rd Floor In South Delhi, Dies

    Amaravati, An Ancient City's Rebirth As Modern Capital

    Amaravati, An Ancient City's Rebirth As Modern Capital
    No development of a new state capital has generated so much excitement as has Amaravati, whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

    Amaravati, An Ancient City's Rebirth As Modern Capital

    Defence Ministry Nod To Women As IAF Fighter Pilots

    Defence Ministry Nod To Women As IAF Fighter Pilots
    While the first batch would be commissioned in the IAF in June 2016, after one year of advanced training women will be flying fighter jets by 2017

    Defence Ministry Nod To Women As IAF Fighter Pilots

    Azam Khan Seeks Ban On Cow Slaughter

    Uttar Pradesh Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Mohammed Azam Khan on Saturday called for a complete ban on cow slaughter, saying he was personally against it as it hurt the religious sentiments of a community.

    Azam Khan Seeks Ban On Cow Slaughter