Ludhiana: The long-awaited takeoff of the Halwara International Airport is being framed as a political and economic turning point for Ludhiana, with BJP leaders positioning the project as a cornerstone of their 2027 assembly election strategy.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually inaugurate the terminal on Sunday, a move that local leaders claim will finally unshackle “India’s Manchester” from its reliance on the distant airports of Chandigarh and Delhi.A Boost for ‘Manchester’The airport is expected to provide a direct link for Ludhiana’s massive cycle and hosiery industries to global and domestic markets. Senior BJP leader Jiwan Gupta emphasised that the city’s trade connections have long been hampered by poor air connectivity at the smaller Sahnewal facility. “Ludhiana is a global hub, and this launch will accelerate industrial trade like never before,” Gupta said. “It is the relief the public and the business community have demanded for decades.“The “Credit War”The inauguration arrives amid a bitter political tug-of-war between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP. State minister Sanjeev Arora of AAP has frequently touted the Punjab govt’s role in the airport’s progress, but the BJP has a counter. Minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu and other BJP bigwigs have dismissed these claims, asserting the airport is a central govt project funded and directed by New Delhi.Sunday’s ItineraryDistrict BJP President Rajnish Dhiman confirmed that party workers will gather at the BJP office to listen to the Union Budget before travelling to Halwara to welcome the civil aviation minister. “Teams are heading to Halwara to witness this historic virtual inauguration,” Dhiman said. “Ludhianvis should not have to depend on other cities to take a flight. This is a big push for our local economy.”The project is widely seen as the BJP’s flagship development achievement in the region as they prepare to challenge the incumbent state govt in the upcoming 2027 polls. MSID:: 127820632 413 |
