Ludhiana: While the official inauguration of Halwara International Airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a virtual affair, the physical preparations on the ground have stretched city’s municipal resources to their limit.With the Sunday deadline looming, the municipal corporation (MC) has deployed a massive task force to the site — located well outside city limits — to ensure the long-awaited terminal is presentable for the high-profile launch.Beautification Drive or Resource Strain?Despite the airport’s location in the Raikot sub-division, approximately 80 to 90 MC employees and a fleet of heavy machinery have been diverted from city duties to the rural site. Key tasks underway include clearing extensive wild growth that had accumulated during the terminal’s long wait for opening, besides beautification (general cleaning, landscaping, and the installation of flags). Staff have been working 48-hour shifts to meet a Saturday evening completion target.Internal Friction Over JurisdictionThe deployment has caused quiet resentment among senior civic officials. Usually, the MC is quick to deflect responsibility for infrastructure projects outside its jurisdiction; however, direct orders from deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain have left them with little choice.“There is already a staff scarcity for maintaining cleanliness within Ludhiana city,” a senior MC official noted under anonymity. “If our teams and machinery are spending the entire weekend in Raikot, the city’s own maintenance inevitably suffers.” Officials questioned why staff from the closer Mullanpur Committee or the Raikot sub-division itself were not utilised for the manual labour.A ;Big Event’ MandateDespite the internal grumbling, the administration has categorised the launch as a “prestige project” that requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. MC leaders officially maintain that it is “obvious” the corporation must pitch in for an event of this magnitude. As of Saturday evening, the site has been cleared of debris and is reportedly ready for the Prime Minister’s virtual ribbon-cutting, marking a significant milestone in Punjab’s civil aviation history. MSID:: 127820446 413 |
