AAP Govt Takes Punjab’s Aviation to New Heights: From Halwara to Amritsar — Punjab Flies Forward

In a state once grounded by administrative inertia, Punjab’s aviation sector is now preparing for take-off. Under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s stewardship, the Aam Aadmi Party government has placed aviation at the heart of its growth story — not as an isolated infrastructure project, but as a strategic lever to power industry, trade, and tourism.

When the AAP government took charge in March 2022, Punjab’s skies were clouded with stalled projects and missed opportunities. The Halwara International Airport near Ludhiana — a crucial link for the state’s industrial powerhouse — had been languishing, caught in bureaucratic loops and budgetary drought. Work had virtually come to a standstill, eroding investor confidence in the region’s logistics backbone.

That changed with Mann’s direct intervention. Refusing to let the project slip into the category of “non-starters,” the Chief Minister cleared ₹60 crore from the state exchequer to restart construction. The funds arrived without delay, signaling political will and administrative urgency — the two engines that had long been missing. Within months, the dormant project was back in motion.

By April 2025, the interim terminal stood completed. Three months later, on July 27, the Halwara International Airport was inaugurated, bearing a name that resonates deeply with Punjab’s spirit — Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha. The project, now poised to handle thousands of passengers, is expected to generate over 10,000 jobs and restore Ludhiana’s lost global connectivity.

If Halwara symbolizes revival, Amritsar showcases expansion. The Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport, already the state’s busiest, has recorded a passenger growth of 22.6% in FY 2024–25 — breaching the 3.5 million mark, its highest-ever. The surge isn’t accidental. New international routes — Kuala Lumpur, London, Rome, and Verona — have turned Amritsar into a preferred gateway for the Punjabi diaspora. Recognition followed: in July 2024, AirAsia X named Amritsar its “Best Station” among 24 international airports, lauding its punctuality and upgraded passenger services.

Meanwhile, regional connectivity — the often-neglected limb of aviation policy — is back on the radar. With sustained engagement between the state and the Centre, flights from Adampur (Jalandhar) and Bathinda have resumed. Fresh routes from Adampur to Mumbai and Jaipur promise to draw new economic lifelines into the Doaba region.

The numbers tell their own story. Since 2022, the Mann government has funneled ₹150–₹200 crore into aviation infrastructure — from the 8.5-km access road to Chandigarh Airport (₹200 crore) to the revival of Halwara and the expansion of Amritsar’s reach. The investments are not just about aircraft and terminals; they’re about mobility, opportunity, and visibility for a state rediscovering its wings.

From Halwara’s tarmac to Amritsar’s runways, Punjab is quite literally on an ascent — a reflection of political resolve meeting pragmatic execution. The “Rangla Punjab” the AAP government envisions is not just on the ground anymore; it’s up in the skies.