First Flight Lands at Ludhiana Halwara Airport

Chandigarh, May 15 (PTI) An Air India flight from Delhi became the first commercial flight to land at the newly operational Halwara airport in Punjab's Ludhiana on Friday morning.

Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, along with some party leaders from the state, travelled on the inaugural flight from Delhi to Halwara.

This flight from Delhi marks the beginning of a new chapter for Punjab, Bittu said in a post on X after the flight landed at the airport.

"There is no feeling like landing in your own city on a historic flight. I am deeply touched by the overwhelming and warm welcome I received at Halwara Airport today. Seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of my brothers and sisters from Ludhiana made this journey even more special," he said.

He further added, "This flight from Delhi marks the beginning of a new chapter for Punjab. The 30-year-long wait has finally ended with a grand touchdown".

Fulfilling a 30-year-old demand, this operationalisation is a massive boost for our local industry and economic growth, Bittu said.

"Huge thanks to PM Narendra Modi Ji for this visionary gift to Punjab. The sky is the limit for Ludhiana's trade and exports," Bittu said.


"Thank you, Ludhiana, for this incredible love," he said in the post after those on board the inaugural flight received a grand welcome at the Halwara airport.

On the inaugural flight, among the passengers included Rajya Sabha MPs Vikramjit Sahney and Rajinder Gupta, both of whom switched over from AAP to BJP recently, and State BJP senior spokeperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal.

Initially, there will be two daily flights between Delhi and Halwara, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, marking a major leap in connectivity for the region, Bittu had recently said.

Bittu had also said the long-awaited development would boost travel, trade and overall economic growth in the state.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Jalandhar in February, had virtually inaugurated the terminal building at Halwara airport in Ludhiana.

Developed at the Indian Air Force base in Halwara in the Raikot subdivision, the civil terminal is expected to significantly enhance air connectivity and boost industrial and economic growth in the region.

The operationalisation of Halwara airport's terminal building is expected to enhance air connectivity in the region significantly, providing a boost to industrial activity, tourism, healthcare, and education, and thereby contributing to the overall socio-economic development of Punjab.

The air connectivity from Ludhiana has been one of the major demands of the Ludhiana-based industrialists who either have to take flights from Delhi, Chandigarh or Amritsar.