New Delhi, Feb 10: Member of Parliament Satnam Singh Sandhu on Tuesday called for a significant upgrade to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, urging the Union government to designate it as a “Point of Call” to facilitate long-haul international flights.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Sandhu mentioned that the current lack of this designation prevents foreign airlines from operating out of the airport. He noted that while the facility has a capacity for 60 lakh annual passengers, it currently serves only 40 lakh, leaving substantial room for global expansion.
“Chandigarh Airport is an important aviation hub not only for Punjab, but also for Haryana and Himachal Pradesh,” Sandhu directly said. He noted that the combined population of 7 crore across these three states makes the airport a critical gateway that currently operates only two international flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The MP pushed for the introduction of direct routes to key destinations, including London, Singapore, and Vancouver, citing the massive demand from the Punjabi diaspora. He also mentioned the need to increase cargo capacity at both Chandigarh and Amritsar airports to bolster the state’s export potential.
Sandhu noted that the aviation sector in Punjab has flourished under the current leadership, expanding to two international and four domestic airports. “Punjab has got much from the Union government, but Punjabis ka dil always maange more,” he noted while emphasizing the regional aspiration for better connectivity.
