DGCA discriminating against Amritsar airport: Sidhu

While alleging that the civil aviation ministry and Director General of Civil Aviation were ignoring and discriminating against the Amritsar International Airport and that requests for new international flights were being put on hold,BJP MP Navjot Sidhu on Wednesday threatened to launch an agitation if the ministry and DGCA did not pay attention to the issue.

While alleging that the civil aviation ministry and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were ignoring and discriminating against the Amritsar International Airport and that requests for new international flights were being put on hold,BJP MP Navjot Sidhu on Wednesday threatened to launch an agitation if the ministry and DGCA did not pay attention to the issue.

Speaking to mediapersons in Jalandhar on Wednesday,Sidhu said that policies and decisions are being made in such a way that private airports can grow at the cost of the state airport. He added that he will raise the matter in the Parliament and also invited other MPs from the state to join him to stop discrimination against Punjab.

As many as Rs 350 crore have already been spent on the infrastructure of the airport and as direct flights from Amritsar to international destinations were not being allowed,all were being wasted,said Sidhu.

He added that the Austria-based Comtel Air had submitted a request for direct flights between Vienna and Amritsar and further to Takht Hazoor Sahib,Nanded. Comtel Air had submitted its request to the aviation officials for Amritsar flights on March 23,but officials have not yet even bothered to reply their request,Sidhu alleged.

When there was already a recommendation from the Austrian government and when the ministry had nothing to lose and slots were available,then why such proposals were not being considered? I will take up the matter with the aviation minister. If permission is not granted,an agitation will be launched, he said.

He added that earlier as well,due to such discriminatory attitude of the ministry,some profitable direct flights from Amritsar have been cancelled.

Meanwhile,Sidhu denied the reports that BJP was considering to give a ticket to his wife in the next Assembly election from Amritsar. He claimed that he will never encourage nepotism in politics.

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