Ludhiana, July 25: The much-anticipated inauguration of the new civil terminal at Halwara in Ludhiana district has been postponed, officials said Thursday, just two days before the event was to be virtually launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain confirmed the delay, saying the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had conveyed the postponement without offering any explanation. “We have been informed by AAI officials that the inauguration of the civil terminal has been postponed. No specific reason has been given for it yet,” Jain said.
Set up at the Indian Air Force base in Raikot subdivision, the terminal represents a key infrastructure upgrade for Punjab’s industrial hub. It was a longstanding demand of Ludhiana residents, particularly the business community, who have lobbied for better air connectivity for years.
Originally cleared by the Punjab cabinet in 2018 under the then Congress-led government, the project has faced repeated delays and shifting deadlines over the past seven years.
Though initially proposed as an international airport, the terminal will start operations with domestic flights only. The current facility is built to accommodate one flight at a time, with a handling capacity of 150 passengers during both arrivals and departures.
Once operational, the Halwara terminal is expected to replace the city’s existing Sahnewal Airport, which currently runs a single daily flight between Ludhiana and Hindon (Ghaziabad). Sahnewal will likely be decommissioned following the shift.
The new terminal is seen as critical for Ludhiana’s growth, as poor air connectivity has long forced industrialists and other travellers to rely on distant airports in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar.
No new inauguration date has been announced so far by AAI.
