Chandigarh Airport got connected to the world on Thursday with the innauguration of the maiden international flight to Sharjah (UAE), heralding a new phase for the air passengers of the region.
Describing the maiden direct international flight from Mohali International Airport as a red letter day, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that it was a step further towards emerging the State as ‘hub of air connectivity’ thereby benefiting the Punjabi diaspora settled across the globe.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural of first international flight from the airport to Sharjah, he said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction for the Punjabis that Punjab was the first in the northern region to have two international airports. He said that this international Airport at Mohali, second in the State after Amritsar, was result of persistent efforts made by the State Government.
He said that the commencing of international flights from this airport would give much needed boost to the economy of the State by connecting it with the rest of world.
Badal said that this airport would act as a catalyst to boost Industrialisation in the State besides showcasing Punjab as the most preferred investment destination to woo the leading entrepreneurs across the world to make huge investments in the State. He said International air connectivity from Mohali was all the more important because it would connect the entire Northern region comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttrakhand and even the Western part of Uttar Pradesh with the other parts of the world.
He said that in the absence of this international airport daily a large number of passengers from the Northern States were left with no other option but to travel Delhi for boarding the international flights, which not only caused undue harassment to them but also resulted in huge wastage of time, money and energy.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal termed this as a historic occasion, adding that this initiative would go a long way to propel and IT and tourism sector in the State.
Sukhbir said he was leading a special delegation of prospective Industrialists from the State to Sharjah to explore more investment avenues so as to bring major investment in different sectors in Punjab.
He said the Airport would be instrumental in giving major push to the hosiery, woolen, garments and cycle industry in ludhiana. He also hoped that with the commissioning of International flights from Mohali Airport, the local farmers of the State would be enormously benefitted especially from the country like Dubai, which had a tremendous export potential of agro and food items.