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Hooda stuns Akalis

CHANDIGARH: High drama preceded the ceremonies where the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel, laid the foundation stone and presided over the signing of a MoU for upgrading the infrastructure of Chandigarh’s civilian airport, which would soon begin to accept international flights.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken up the project for constructing a world class integrated terminal building to cater for 400 passengers at a time at an estimated cost of Rs.79.97 crore. The building, with latest passenger-friendly facilities, would be completed within a year, the Union Minister said on the occasion.

The present airport belongs to the Air Force, while AAI only maintains a civilian terminal which can handle not more than 200 passengers. After the expansion of the complex, the apron would accommodate at least four Airbus 321-sized aircraft. The Punjab Government has agreed to provide the additional land to construct the international terminal building, three link taxiways, parallel taxi track, cargo complex and hangers for Flying Club activities. Extension of the runway would also be taken up. Witnesses provided details about Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was among the invitees, lodging “a strong protest” against naming the extended civilian facility as “Mohali International Airport” as was made out by the Punjab Government through its advertisements. He said the project pertained to upgrading the existing facility in Chandigarh, which was the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. “By providing just 300 acres of land, Punjab could not claim the entire airport.”

The impasse was resolved following interventions from Delhi and Mr. Patel getting support from his ministerial colleague and local MP, Pawan Kumar Bansal, who prevailed upon Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to accept Mr. Hooda’s stake in the project.

Ultimately it was agreed that while the Centre would continue with its 51 per cent share, Punjab and Haryana would split the remaining 49 per cent stake.

Mr. Hooda was seen repeatedly inspecting the “amended” version of the MoU, while there were many red faces in the Akali camp, who in muffled voices described the development as “another discrimination” against Punjab.

Late in the evening, Mr. Badal tried to evade the media glare through a smart quip, “Do you want to savour the mangoes or count the trees? At the same site, international airport facilities shall come up, though we have left the name to the Union Government.”

He went to claim that the Haryana Government had in fact turned down Punjab’s previous proposal to jointly seek and develop the project for the overall benefit of the region.

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