October 31, 2011. Chandigarh/Mohali: Since 2007, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been announcing that an international airport will soon be constructed in Mohali. The Prime Minister, who is expected to attend the foundation-laying ceremony, announced on January 5, 2008 that the international airport to be constructed in Mohali would be established within two years.
Today there is no construction apart from a boundary wall. The land designated for the construction is used by locals to rear cattle. And the proposed space for the airport is not even connected to the main road as of yet.
Various delays have postponed the construction of the airport. Land acquisition took longer than expected and then decisions regarding investment terms and partnerships further held up construction. Most recently, a disagreement has been brewing between Punjab and Haryana governments over the upcoming airport’s name.
The traffic for domestic flights at Chandigarh airport is expected to continue growing and the two international flights set to start from November will also deliver a huge boost to the number of passengers traveling through the airport. The current 3000 daily passengers at the airport are expected to increase to 4000 with the introduction of the international flights. The new international airport will hence come into even greater demand in the near future.