After facing years of setbacks and missed deadlines, the Halwara Airport in Ludhiana is finally set to be inaugurated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the airport through a virtual ceremony on February 1, bringing closure to a prolonged development process that has tested both officials and stakeholders in Punjab.
According to senior government sources, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has scheduled a high-level meeting in Chandigarh to assess preparations for the inauguration. The meeting aims to ensure that logistical and administrative arrangements for the virtual event proceed smoothly. A senior official confirmed that the Chief Minister called the review meeting to oversee final coordination ahead of the Prime Minister’s address.
The Halwara International Airport project was originally expected to be completed and inaugurated in 2022. However, it has missed more than a dozen announced timelines over the years. Initial delays were linked to funding constraints faced by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, which resulted in construction work being temporarily suspended during April and May of 2022. Progress was further slowed by unfinished runway work under the Indian Air Force, incomplete terminal facilities, and pending security approvals.
As a result, the project failed to meet multiple proposed launch dates, including June 2022, March 2023, October 2023, and March 2024. A previous plan to inaugurate the airport virtually in July 2025 was also postponed, adding to frustration among local residents and the business community.
Despite these delays, the upcoming inauguration marks an unusual development, as the airport will be formally opened before commercial flight operations begin. Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain had earlier indicated that regular flight services are expected to commence from March 2026. This makes Halwara Airport one of the rare cases where an aviation facility is inaugurated ahead of becoming fully operational.
Industrial leaders in Ludhiana have long awaited the airport’s launch, viewing it as a critical infrastructure upgrade for the city. Many believe the airport will substantially reduce travel time and improve connectivity for exporters and manufacturers in the region. Badish Jindal, president of the World MSME Forum, welcomed the announcement and said operational flights from Halwara would offer significant relief to the industrial sector.
With the inauguration now confirmed, expectations are high that the long-delayed project will finally move toward becoming a functional transport hub. For Ludhiana’s industry and residents alike, the airport represents improved access, efficiency, and long-term economic opportunity.
