CHANDIGARH: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Punjab Government would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on setting up of Mohali International Airport at Chandigarh on January 4.  Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel alongwith Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would lay the foundation stone of this prestigious project on the same day. 

A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting when Punjab Chief Minister Badal called on Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in his office at New Delhi late last evening.  

According to the Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr.Harcharan Bains, Patel also agreed to Badal's proposal to initially start weekly or bi-weekly International flights from and to the existing terminal of Chandigarh Airport to Dubai, Middle East by October next year and later these flights would be operated to London, Vancouver and other countries of the Europe in anticipation to the upcoming Mohali International Airport.

Badal also asked the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take up the matter with Ministry of Defence to expedite the issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the two civil airports coming up in Punjab at Sahnewal (Ludhiana) and Bhisiana (Bathinda) besides an International Airport at Mohali.  

Badal said that the up-gradation and extension of the existing airport at Sahnewal would further boost the process of modernizing infrastructure in the state .  Mr.Badal informed the Civil Aviation Minister that Ludhiana which was an industrial hub of Punjab and carrying big business all over the world required an airport be used for domestic landing and small business aircrafts.  Mr.Patel also gave the Ministry's nod to re-carpet and extend the existing airstrip at Sahnewal Aiport from 4800 feet to 7500 feet.    He also assured Badal that initially domestic flights would be launched from the Sahnewal airport and later on international flights would be added to link Ludhiana with destinations across the globe.   

Patel also conceded to the proposal of Badal to set up a Civil Aviation University in Punjab and directed the Directorate General Civil Aviation to prepare a blue print for the purpose.  The Chief Minister also raised the issue of setting up Civil Terminal at Adampur Air Station on the pattern of civil airport facility at Pathankot. The State government had already sent a detailed proposal in this regard to the AAI.   Significantly, Adampur assumes an important strategic location in Doaba region, the heart land of NRIs.  He said that the proposed civil enclave at Adampur would enable the Punjabis diaspora settled abroad to have direct air connectivity with the state.  It may be recalled that the Punjab government is organizing Punjabi NRIs International Sammelan at Chandigarh and Jalandhar on January 5 and 6 next.  

Badal also urged the Union Civil Aviation Minister for setting up of Flying Clubs Training Institutes at Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Faridkot, Patiala and Fattu Dhing near Kapurthala with a view to provide better training facilities to the youth of this region. The Chief Minister requested Mr. Patel to intervene in getting NOC from Indian Airport Force and Defence Ministry by taking personal initiative.  Patel assured the Chief Minster that Ministry of Civil Aviation had an open mind on this proposal and would highly appreciate the state government's initiative in this regard.  

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Media Advisor Harcharan Bains, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Principal Resident Commissioner Ms. Anjuly Chib Duggal, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister KJS Cheema and Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Gagandeep Singh Brar.