Fly from Chandigarh to Hisar by July-end

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, April 30

The wait for the start of domestic flights from Hisar is set to be over by July end. “It will be five days a week schedule of flights. Pinnacle Air Private Limited has bid for operating flights with 18-seat aircraft. The state government has been asked to provide security and around 100 policemen are likely to be deployed at the airport,” said an official.

A fresh tender of Rs 7 crore to complete infrastructure requirements had been given to a contractor with a deadline of three months, said a PWD (Building and Roads) official here on Monday. The works include strengthening of the boundary wall, fire station, runway and parking area while the construction of a passenger terminal was underway, he added.

If all goes well, two flights–one each for Delhi and Chandigarh—would be operational by July end, district administration sources said.

Meanwhile, a section of officials said that it would be hasty to start flight operations until the entire essential set up, including the terminal building, security apparatus, was put in place.

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has selected the Hisar airfield under the UDAN programme under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) meant to provide connectivity to small towns.

The Adviser, Haryana Civil Aviation Department, Ashok Sangwan, said that they had been expediting things for the early start of operations. “Hopefully, the flights will start from July. We have been holding meetings with the Airport Authority of India to finalise the requirements for thes purpose,” he said, adding that the state government was already working to strengthen the airport infrastructure.

The sources said that while earlier an eight or nine-seat plane was expected to fly, now the government was considering to rope in 18-seat aircraft. “Government officials are likely to travel by plane during their visits to Chandigarh and Delhi. The government will foot the bill of their visits,” they added.

The fair was likely to be less than Rs 2,500 per seat as the distance between Hisar and the destinations (Delhi and Chandigarh) is less than 500 km, they said.

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