New wings for Punjab as PM Narendra Modi opens Halwara Airport

Halwara: A decades-long wait for superior air connectivity ended on Sunday evening as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the new civil enclave at Halwara Airport, a development poised to transform the industrial and agricultural heartland of northern India.

Inaugurated from Adampur Airport, the new terminal — built at a cost of about Rs 54 crore — officially replaces the aging Sahnewal Airport. The facility establishes a "new gateway" for the state, with a runway now capable of handling A320-type aircraft, a significant upgrade from the turboprops previously restricted by Sahnewal's short airstrip.


The Prime Minister's Vision

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, the central govt emphasised the strategic and economic necessity of the project. "Further advancing aviation infrastructure in Punjab, the terminal building... will establish a new gateway for the state, catering to Ludhiana and its surrounding industrial and agricultural hinterland," the PMO stated.

Officials noted that while the previous airport at Sahnewal was limited by a small runway, the new civil enclave at Halwara features a "longer runway capable of handling A320-type aircraft," greatly improving connectivity for larger commercial jets.

CM Mann's Push for ‘Shaheed Sarabha'

Speaking at the terminal, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann praised the project as a "historic gift" but centered his address on a long-standing demand: naming the facility Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport. "Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha laid down his life for the motherland when he was just 19 years old," Mann said. "His supreme sacrifice inspired millions... even Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh regarded him as his role model."

Mann noted that Sarabha, a Berkeley University student who returned from the U.S. to lead the Ghadar Party, was a fitting icon for an aviation hub. "Punjab is the land of great Gurus and martyrs," Mann said. "With this naming, two of our airports would commemorate our Gurus — Amritsar and Adampur — and two would honor our martyrs — Mohali and Halwara."

Industrial and Diaspora Impact

The opening has sparked immediate optimism among Ludhiana's business elite. Industrialists, who have historically struggled with winter flight cancellations due to low visibility at the old airport, believe the technical upgrades at Halwara will ensure reliable year-round operations.

The longer runway shared with the Indian Air Force station provides a higher technical standard for all-weather landings. Industrialist Ranjodh Singh emphasised that the airport must offer more than a Delhi shuttle. "Our global customers will now be able to reach us much faster, which was simply not possible before." The location in Aitiana Village provides direct access to the industrial hinterland, reducing transit times for high-value cargo.

Political ‘Credit War'

The inauguration was marked by friction between the state and federal ruling parties. As Chief Minister Mann addressed the gathering, supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) broke into party slogans. Simultaneously, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers responded with chants of "Modi, Modi" during the Prime Minister's virtual appearance on the screens.

While AAP and BJP leaders jostled for visibility at the event, Congress bigwigs were conspicuously absent from the ceremony. Both Ludhiana MP Raja Warring and Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh skipped the inauguration. Talking to TOI, Raja Warring alleged that they had been disrespected, as the district administration had denied them a proper invite or an opportunity to speak at the function, a matter he said they had taken up with the civil aviation minister.

Warring claimed it was the earlier Congress govt that had given Rs 40 crore for the airport and pursuaded the villagers to donate land for the project, yet the event's passes had gone to BJP and its workers.