Chandigarh International Airport To Be Up Soon

People going abroad from Punjab and Haryana need not catch flights from Delhi, as Chandigarh airport will be upgraded to an international airport. The first flight for Dubai will take off during end of July. Sunil Dutt, director of Chandigarh airport, said that they have got confirmation from Fly Dubai. They have got permission from the union civil aviation ministry to fly a daily direct flight to Dubai from Chandigarh. The ticket will be priced at Rs 3500-3600 as an introductory offer. The price would be increased in due course of time as the rates cannot stay at Rs 3500. Fly Dubai is a low-cost carrier of Emirates Airlines. Chandigarh International Airport will replace the old domestic Chandigarh airport as the region's second international airport after the Raja Sansi International Airport in Amritsar. The new airport is likely to give a big boost to the region's economy and facilitate travel for a large number of non-resident Indians (NRIs), who currently use New Delhi's Indira Gandhi international airport. It would largely serve the international passengers from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The international airport is being extended on 306 acres of land in Jheorehri village, near Mohali, and its construction work is going on for the last many months. Gagan Malik, construction in-charge of the new building of Chandigarh International Airport said that the airport would be air-conditioned with escalators and facilities for people with disabilities. The building can accommodate only 100 passengers at present. But the new building can accommodate up to 400 passengers.

Chandigarh International Airport - AAI approves Rs 500 cr

Chandigarh, Feburary 16
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has approved an investment of Rs 500 crore for establishment of an airfield and a civil aviation terminal for the Chandigarh International airport project.
According to sources, a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the AAI board held at Delhi and that this would pave the way for start of work on the boundary wall as well as airfield and civil aviation terminal on land in Mohali, which has been acquired for the international airport.
Sources from the capital said the AAI board was in a position to take this decision as it had been designated as a ‘mini ratna’, which gave it the authority to take decisions on investments up to Rs 500 crore. Otherwise, decisions involving financial implications beyond Rs 50 crore have to be referred to the Union cabinet.
The sources said the AAI would now approach the Election Commission to clear the proposal to form a joint venture company comprising the AAI, Punjab and Haryana to steer the project. The AAI is keen to start work on construction of the boundary wall of the project as well as other works, which can be done only after handing over of the land to the JV Company.
The sources said the AAI board, which met recently, also approved the formation of a JV Company to steer the project. The company is likely to be formed after a formal follow up of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which the AAI has a 51 per cent stake in the project and the Punjab and Haryana government a 24.5 per cent stake each. Earlier, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GAMADA) had acquired the land for the project at a cost of Rs 460 crore, half of which had been borne by Haryana.
According to the MoU signed by the three partners in the project in the beginning of last year, Punjab and Haryana have to provide land for the project and all superstructures have to taken up by the AAI. Price Waterhouse, which had earlier been appointed as consultants for the project, has submitted its recommendations on the authorised equity capital for the JV Company.

Master plan for Zirakpur, New development for zirakpur

Zriakpur, FEBUARY 26
The Punjab government has finally come out with the final master plan for Zirakpur and Dera Bassi towns. Prepared under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 2006, the land use would be freezed in the local planning areas of the two important towns, located along the Chandigarh-Delhi National Highway 22.
Keeping in mind the potential of the area once the international airport becomes functional, Singapore-based consultants of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) have proposed an aerotropolis or an airport city near the national highway.
It has also been proposed that while providing an integrated multi-modal transport hub, the corridor along national highway would be developed as a major passenger and cargo hub.
Another area being taken was along the Zirakpur-Patiala highway. The demand is mostly from NRIs from Punjab who would prefer Mohali compared to Delhi, as the road travelling time would be reduced.
Though the government had initiated work on the master plans in 2007, the planning of the local planning area of the two peripheral towns has now been finalised. Before notifying the master plans, objections of the general pubic are being sought by the Town and Country Planning Department.
“After Mohali and Mullanpur, the two peripheral towns would also get legal master plans that would be governed by the provisions of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act,” said a GMADA official.
It could, however, not be ascertained whether existing structures that do no confirm to the earmarked planning would be relocated or not. Already a number of haphazard structures have come in the Zirakpur MC limits and the town planning (TP) scheme of the local government has been a centre of controversy, with the Town and Planning Department objecting to the TP scheme.

Australian High Commissioner to India calls upon Punjab Governor

CHANDIGARH:  Peter Varghese, High Commissioner of Australia to India called on Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh,  Shivraj V. Patil, here today at Punjab Raj Bhavan and discussed subjects of mutual interest. During the interaction,  Patil said both India and Australia should focus on agriculture research and give more importance to genetic research to develop seeds which can sprout in drought conditions and similarly other varieties which can grow in more water like conditions. Another area of interest indicated was in the utilization of resources from ocean. We can extract metals, food materials and many more things. He said, Punjab has achieved a major breakthrough in the agriculture sector and allied fields and State is emerging as a progressive and vibrant investment destination. The State Government has evolved a responsive mechanism and coordinated various agri-related activities in close coordination with the scientific community. Discussing at length with Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Patil said Australia is producing diamonds, whereas Indians are good in cutting and polishing it. Mr. Peter Varghese said Australia  has employed more than 2000 Indians in this field and we would develop this area further more mutually.