Since the start of this year, Punjab’s air connectivity has got a shot in the arm. Several new domestic and international aviation carriers are making the state appear increasingly attractive for the travel itineraries of tourists and non-nesident Indians (NRIs) alike.
The most recent feather in Punjab’s aviation cap is the new airport at Adampur. The first commercial flight to and from its newly operational airport took off on May 1. Spice Jet inaugurated the first-ever commercial flight between Adampur and New Delhi, greatly reducing the travel time between Punjab and India’s capital.
Located nearly 25 kilometres from Jalandhar – arguably the epicentre of Punjab’s much-hyped NRI belt of Doaba – this little military town has been on the flying radar of the country since the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.
One of India’s oldest, largest and strategically most important air force stations, Adampur was previously known for its military base. But since May 1 this year, it has progressed from being a hub for the country’s defence apparatus to become a figurative spoke in the wheel for a network connecting travellers to the national capital of New Delhi.
The inaugural flight was welcomed amidst the thumping beats of the dhol, in true-blue Punjabi style.
In the not-so-distant future, Punjab’s epicentre of tourism, Amritsar, will get one more set of wings to fly out to the world with. Malaysia’s popular budget airline Air Asia has announced a direct flight under its auxiliary company, Air Asia X, between its capital city, Kuala Lumpur and Punjab’s cultural capital, Amritsar.
Punjab’s tourism minister Navjot Singh Sidhu made the announcement in the company of Air Asia’s CEO Benyamin Ismail on May 1 in Amritsar.
The route will give passengers flying to Malaysia a shorter and quicker option than first having to transit through New Delhi. At present Amritsar is already connected with Kuala Lumpur by Malindo Air and with Singapore by Scoot, providing easy access to south-east Asia and onwards to Australia and New Zealand, where Punjabis are increasingly travelling to for education, work and leisure.
Golden Temple in Amritsar, India. Source: AAP
Asia and beyond
Underscoring the strategic importance of selecting Amritsar as a flight sector, Ismail was quoted by the Indian media as saying: “Many Sikhs and Punjabis have been asking us to fly direct to Amritsar, home to the world-famous Golden Temple, and we are pleased to be able to offer this direct service to this holy city… This new route is part of our efforts to strengthen our position in India, which offers us the possibility of expanding in Europe and North America. AirAsia X will focus on promoting Amritsar along with our existing destinations, New Delhi and Jaipur as part of our overall campaign focusing on fly-through traffic from markets like Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.”
Sidhu also endorsed the fact that a direct flight between Punjab and Malaysia will mean an easy passage for those who may want to take an onward journey to Australia and New Zealand.
In February, Air India resumed flights between Amritsar and the British city of Birmingham. The bi-weekly flight received much publicity because of its in-flight dhol-and-bhangra inauguration that went viral on social media across the world.
It's hoped that now with the airport at Adampur and new international flights to and from Amritsar, those from other cities such as Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr, will now have a more convenient option than having to travel to New Delhi.
