Even over one-and-half-year after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Airport at Chandigarh, the same has failed to get its name as Punjab and Haryana have failed to reach a consensus using Chandigarh or Mohali in
airport's address.
While now the two states — who are partners in the airport project — have agreed on naming the airport as Shaheed-E-Aazam Bhagat Singh International Airport, the matter remains unresolved over the location to be shown — Mohali or Chandigarh — in the official address.
While Punjab, which has given land for the international airport on its side adjoining the domestic airport — wants that Mohali should be part of the name as it's located in Mohali (bordering Chandigarh), Haryana sees it as an attempt to take credit for the airport which is part of Chandigarh.
The contention arises between the two states on the issue as as the airport runway is located in the Union territory of Chandigarh, however the new international terminal is located on the south side of the runway in the village of Jhiurheri in Mohali (SAS Nagar) of
Punjab.
According to a senior Punjab official the runway located in Mohali, that is why Mohali should be there as its location while Haryana counterparts says that the airport belongs to the Chandigarh and it should be the official address of the International Airport.
Haryana Principal Secretary, Civil Aviation, Mahavir Singh told The Statesman that the state government has given its nod for naming the airport after Saheed Bhagat Singh but it is not in favour of putting Mohali as official position.
Though, both of the states have continued to maintain that right to take final decision in this regard is reserved with the Centre,
however a senior official from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation told The Statesman that the states need to reach an agreement of the issue of the city.
"Why should the Centre take anybody's side, the states reach a consensus and tell us which of the cities they want, we will do the
same," he added. Ruckus was witnessed in Rabha Sabha on Thursday when the CPI-M alleged that the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had preferred the name of the said airport after RSS ideologue Mangal Sen instead of Bhagat Singh. However, the Haryana government refuted the CPI-M claims saying that earlier also it had expressed its willingness over naming the airport after Saheed Bhagat Singh.
Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu said that it would be a matter of pride for the state if the Chandigarh airport is named after the martyr. The civil air terminal at Chandigarh airport was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on September 11 last 2015. Initially, both of the states had agreed to it being named after Bhagat Singh, controversy errupted when Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar desired to name the airport after Mangal Sen. however, later on the Haryana government clarified that is had no objection to the airport being named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh.