December 13, 2011:On Monday, Air India cancelled flight 9803 between Delhi and Ludhiana due to a visibility of only 1.2kms. The flight, which is the only one currently operating from Ludhiana, was diverted to Chandigarh on Friday.
Since November 17, the Air India flight saw only one landing and one diversion. On all other days, the flight remained cancelled due to bad weather and poor visibility.
Passengers wanting the convenience of air travel to the important industrial town of Ludhiana are frustrated with the complications. They complained that the only flight that operates is cancelled most of the time even though it is scheduled to run thrice a week.
Sahnewal airport’s biggest problem, according to airport authorities, is that modern navigational devices are not in place and they have been waiting over one year to have DVOR installed.
A major hold up in this situation is the failure of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to take the situation at Sahnewal Airport seriously. Of 77kv high tension lines coming in the path of DVOR installation it has only shifted only 11kv.