The airport at Virk Kalan village near Bathinda will become operation with flights to commence on December 4, said Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday. In her speech during the foundation-laying of a parking project in Bathinda, the local MP said this “will prove a milestone in the development of Punjab”. It’s been over four years since the airport was constructed with an investment of Rs 25 crore. An official of Air India (AI) and another from Alliance Air, a subsidiary of AI, had met representatives of trade and industry here last week to assess the viability of starting flights. The SAD-BJP had blamed the previous, Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for not starting flights from Bathinda.

Source: Hindustan Times November 08, 2016 16:33 UTC