In a bid to further boost industrial and economic activity in the state, the Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved the setting up of a new international civil terminal at Indian Air Force (IAF) Station, Halwara, Ludhiana.

Facts :

• The Civil Terminal would be developed jointly by the AAI and the Government of Punjab through a Joint Venture Company (JVC) to be constituted for the purpose.
• The decision fulfills an old demand of the state, which was first taken up by Captain Amarinder Singh with the central government during his previous tenure as chief minister from 2002-2007. The matter, however, remained in abeyance pending clearances from the Centre.
• The Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, also gave go-ahead for signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the same.
• While AAI would have majority stake of 51%, the Punjab Government, through the Greater Ludhiana Development Authority (GLADA), will have 49% stake in the project.
• The state Government would provide 135. 54 acres of land free of cost to the JVC by way of its equity in the project.
• The capital expenditure on development of the new airport would be borne by AAI, whereas the expenditure on the operation, maintenance and repairs would be taken care of by the JVC.
• The first phase of the project, which will include development of a new international civil enclave over an area of 135.54 acres for full-fledged operations up to Code-4C type aircraft, is likely to be completed within three years.
• The biggest air force station of north India, Halwara Air Force Base, completes 68 years on March 16, 2018.

Analysis :

• Notably, Ludhiana is Punjab’s largest industrial and business city with a population of nearly two million, which is presently serviced by a small airport at Sahnewal under the operational control of AAI, which runs RCS-UDAN flights to Delhi. Ludhiana also has the advantage of being at the geographical centre of Punjab.
• With Sahnewal airport lacking basic landing facilities leading to poor visibility especially in winters, the lone flight to Delhi also gets cancelled multiple times. With the length of the runway at the present airport being limited, it only allows for operation of small aircraft which severely limits air connectivity.
• Moreover, as the city has grown significantly around the airport, acquisition of additional land and expansion of the existing airport at Sahnewal is not feasible.
• Further, Ludhiana has substantial export potential, which could be exploited with the growth of cargo traffic.
• The project, aimed at giving a fillip to the economic development of Punjab’s business and industrial hub Ludhiana, also fulfills a long-pending demand of the Ludhiana-based industry, which the Chief Minister has now acceded.
• Many of the Air Force Stations, including in Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot and Adampur, are being also used for normal flights and now Halwara is also opened to other flights, so it will offer cheaper air travel service to the citizens.
• Notably, the Udaan-RCS scheme (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is a regional airport development and Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Government of India. It is aimed at making air travel affordable and widespread to boost inclusive national economical development, job growth and development of air transport infrastructure of all regions and states.

Halwara airforce station :

• Built and incepted in 1950, Air Force Station Halwara was one of the first air bases to be built after India's independence. Air Force Station Halwara is the biggest airforce station of north India.
• Halwara airforce station is just north of Halwara town and 27 km southwest of Ludhiana city in Punjab, India.
• The Halwara airbase was built as Royal Air Force Airfield in 1942. During World War II, it was used as an allied Air Force staging base.
• After the war ended in 1945, it was abandoned and reactivated after independence as 306 Wing on March 16, 1950 under the command of Wing Commander (later Air Chief Marshal) H Moolgavakar.
• The base was tasked with exercising command and control, both functional and administrative, over two fighter squadrons and other lodger units, to which one squadron of the Soviet-origin Pechora surface to air missiles was added in 1980. In addition to this, the base controls the air to ground weapons range located at a distance of 23 kilometres, near Jagraon.
• With the introduction of the Vampire in 1954, the base powered into the jet age. The station was renamed as 9 Wing, Air Force on January 29, 1955. In 1963, the recarpeting of the old 2,000 yard runway to its present length was carried out.
• Halwara came into sharp focus in 1962, during Chinese operations. The post of Station Commander was upgraded to the rank of Group Captain in 1962.
• For nearly three decades, this base was a Mecca for the MIG 23 BN, until March 2009 when the last 23 MIG squadron was number plated.
• On September 1, 2011, 220 squadron was resurrected at Halwara with the SU-30 MKI. Halwara thus became the first air base in Western Air Command to operate the SU-30 MKI.
• Today, Halwara is one of the premier fighter bases of Western Air Command and is key to prosecution of the IAF operations during war.