Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal urged the Union Civil Aviation Minister Mr Ajit Singh to immediately start direct domestic flights from Amritsar and Chandigarh to Nanded in Maharashtra for facilitating the pilgrims to pay obeisance at Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Mr Badal put forth this demand before the Union Civil Aviation Minister in a meeting held today at the Kapurthala House in New Delhi. Taking up another issue the Chief Minister also impressed upon Mr Ajit Singh to start international flights from the upcoming international Airport at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali). He said that these flights would give further fillip to ensure better air connectivity for the Punjabi diasporas settled abroad to visit the state far more comfortably without any hassle.
The Chief Minister also asked Mr Ajit Singh said that as the domestic Terminal at Bhisiana (Bathinda) is ready so the department should commence the flights from it because Bathinda was coming up as petrochemical hub due to the operationalisation of Rs 19000 crore Guru Gobind Singh Oil Refinery.
Responding to the various issues raised by Mr Badal the Union Civil Aviation Minister assured him of a positive response and informed that he would soon convene a meeting of senior officers of the ministry of civil aviation and Airport Authority of India to sort out these issues expeditiously in a time bound manner.
Mr Badal was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary Mr KGS Cheema, Resident Commissioner Punjab Bhawan New Delhi Mr K Shiva Prasad.