Controversy over Mohali's proposed airport access route widening

18 Oct 2023 CW Team

The Mohali administration has introduced a new complication in the plan to create a shorter route to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. Instead of the initially proposed shorter route starting from the Sector 47/48 intersection on the Chandigarh-Mohali border, they suggest widening the existing Jagatpura road.

This suggestion comes despite Punjab governor-cum-UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit having granted preliminary approval for the shorter route. Currently, commuters must travel to the T-junction near the Indian School of Business, passing Bawa White House, and then turn left towards Airport Chowk before another left towards the airport.

In response to Mohali's proposal, the UT administration vehemently opposes it. They argue that the Jagatpura road is too narrow, making widening difficult. Additionally, ensuring the safety of people traveling to the airport is paramount and cannot be compromised. Therefore, they refuse to endorse this proposal. A senior UT officer emphasised that they have been working for over two years to find a shorter route and cannot accept a plan that endangers airport travellers.

Mohali's deputy commissioner, Aashika Jain, countered these concerns by stating that the estimated cost for widening the Jagatpura road is approximately Rs 11 million. Furthermore, she clarified that the Indian Airforce has no objections to this road as it is at a considerable distance from the airport boundary. Jain also confirmed that the necessary paperwork, including an affidavit for the road, would be submitted to the Punjab and Haryana high court. If implemented, this new route would reduce the distance to the airport from the main road (Sector 48) to just 3 km.

Infrastructure Energy

25 Jun 2026

Centre Prioritising Energy Security With Coal Gasification

Union minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said the Centre is prioritising energy security through a strategic shift to coal gasification and has announced incentives totalling Rs 460 billion (bn) to support the effort. He said more than 35 companies will start coal gasification activities in India within two months and that the government is encouraging firms that bring technology to close the domestic technology gap. The minister described the initiative as aimed at reducing import dependence and developing indigenous capacity. India has the fifth-largest coal reserve in the world, and..

BHEL and Coal India Invest Rs 250 bn in Odisha Gasification

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Coal India (CIL) are jointly investing Rs 250 billion in a coal gasification project in Odisha, with the Prime Minister laying the foundation stone in Jharsuguda. Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy described the initiative as a transformative shift in coal utilisation that will open industrial avenues for the state. The project moves coal beyond conventional power generation to industrial feedstocks. Coal gasification will convert coal into synthesis gas, a versatile feedstock for chemicals, fertilisers and synthetic fuels, and the technology is ex..

BCCL Hands Over Dugdha Coal Washery To JSW Steel

Bharat Coking Coal has handed over the Dugdha Coal Washery to JSW Steel, marking the first coal washery asset monetisation under the Ministry of Coal's asset monetisation programme. The handover took place in the presence of senior officials from Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, JSW Steel and JSW Energy. The washery has a capacity of two million tonnes per annum (mn t per annum), and its transfer is intended to introduce private sector practices into coal beneficiation operations. The monetisation is aimed at modernising coal sector assets, improving operational efficiency and enhancing resource utilis..