Chandigarh: Terminal opens, row over airport name still on

Haryana had objected to the use of ‘Mohali’ in the airport’s name, saying that it too had contributed to the construction of the airport. Punjab as well as Haryana had contributed 24.5 per cent of the total cost of the airport and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had covered the rest.

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However, after the inauguration, official statements of the Punjab government continued to refer to the airport as being in Mohali. Statements issued on behalf of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well as Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, referred to the airport as “international airport, Mohali”.

SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra from Anandpur Sahib, in whose constituency the airport falls, said that there was no doubt that the airport would be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh and that it would also include the name of Mohali.

“This will happen and of this we are sure. However, we did not want to press for the same at this stage because our first priority is to get international flights operating from the airport,” Chandumajra said.

He added that as this was an airport that falls under the operational preview of the Ministry of Defence, there were “some hiccups that needed to be cleared.”

Punjab’s claim over the new airport building stems from the fact that more than 300 acres were acquired from a Punjab village for constructing the airport terminal.

The SAD has included the construction of the airport among its major achievements during their tenure and want to cement it by getting it named after Bhagat Singh and including Mohali’s name in it.

Congress MLA from Mohali Balbir Sidhu said it was a setback for the Shiromani Akali Dal that it could not convince its partner at the Centre to name the airport after Bhagat Singh. “The airport falls under my constituency and 308 acres were given for it. However, I was not even invited to the inaugural function,” he said.