06012025-LT-01.qxd 1/6/2025 12:36 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune HANDBALL: 71 FROM ACROSS STATE COMPETE IN TRIALS AKSHAY KUMAR SAYS IF I CAN WORK, WHY SHOULDN'T I? Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya lead high-octane aerial action in film Sky Force due for Jan 24 release. P4 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 16°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 9°C A LOWDOWN ON THE MOST ANTICIPATED WEB SERIES The trials were conducted by Punjab Handball Association under aegis of Punjab Olympic Association. P2 FORECAST There are certain web series whose popularity hits sky and fans wait with bated breath for new seasons. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 5.36 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:19 AM » MONDAY | 6 JANUARY 2025 | LUDHIANA Halwara int’l airport: Runway in making, March 31 fresh deadline Code, operational date to be issued soon, allied civil works completed Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 5 Finally, the new international airport coming up at the Halwara airbase is all ready to take off with the runway overlaying in progress, the government has said. As the entire civil work and also the majority part inside the Indian Air Force (IAF) premises are almost complete, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is likely to issue the airport code, which is mandatory for the operations, and tentative operational date shortly. With this, the bidding process for the operations of the airlines is also being launched, which is a process of a couple of months before commercial flights begin operations from here. The IAF has given March 31 as the deadline for completing the ongoing overlaying of the runway from where the flights will operate, a senior official told The Tribune here on Sunday. The development assumes significance as the Rs 50crore much-awaited and much-delayed big ticket project took over three years and missed at least 14 deadlines to see the light of the day. Ludhiana, which is Punjab’s industrial hub with almost 4 million population, is at present serviced by a small airport at Sahnewal. Located at the geographical centre of the state, the new international airport will serve the entire state as well as neighbouring areas. While the integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal building, sub-station and toilet block at Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the The ~50-cr much-awaited airport project took over three years and missed at least 14 deadlines. oldest frontline airbases of the IAF close to Ludhiana, had , already come up, the allied civil works of the major project have also been completed. With all the pending nods having been procured, the work on all other components, which faced long delays in the past for want of statutory approvals, has also been finished. According to the current status report, the civil construction work has already been completed and the IAF , which owns the airbase on which the airport has been built, has also finished over 90 per cent work to widen link taxiways within the IAF campus, following which the airport will become operational. While the overlaying of Taxi A and new link taxi on the IAF campus has almost been done, the work on overlaying of Taxi D was in the advanced stage of completion. The AAI and other agencies concerned were in the process of finalising contracts for civil, electrical, environmental support services, help desk and commercial contracts such as food and bever- ages, retail and passenger baggage trolley services, which are likely to be completed by March 31. While the security equipment including X-Ray baggage inspection system (XBIS), hand-held metal detectors (HHMDs), and door frame metal detectors (DFMDs) were being provided by the Airport System Directorate from the corporate headquarters of the AAI, which will be done by January 31, the installation of flight information display system (FIDS) and CCTV network has already been completed. The installation of signage inside the terminal building was almost complete while the signage on city and air sides will be completed by the month end. While the car parking for 75 cars and two buses was ready and the security manpower survey by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) was completed, the final security vetting by the BCAS, fire NOC, and statutory approval from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) will be issued by January 31. Miscellaneous works such as cooling pits, security watchtowers, levelling near apron area and cutting of trees will be done by this month end telephone and internet connections inside the terminal will be operational by February 28. Besides, the work on the sewage treatment plant (STP) and drinking water facility has been completed. The finishing touches were being given to the interim terminal building, sub-station, toilet block, apron, and taxiway before handing them over to the AAI. Also, the bridge at the entry of approach road has been fully constructed while the approach road to the airport campus has been almost completed. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, who was the main force behind the big ticket project, has pushed the case for issuance of an airport code and the tentative operational date for the airport. Arora has urged the AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar, whom he met recently, to issue the airport code and confirm- Visibility hit ing the operational date, as these steps were crucial for the airlines to file the necessary no objection certificate (NOC) with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and to obtain requisite permissions from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). “Acting swiftly, the AAI Chairman instructed the officials concerned from the operations team of the authority to do the needful at the earliest possible,” Arora said while also urging Air India functionaries to get the ball rolling from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) for launching flights from Ludhiana. The AAI Chairman assured Arora that commercial flight operations from Ludhiana will commence soon. Earlier, Arora had met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and had requested for expediting work by the IAF . Recently, the AAI and the IAF had granted in-principle approvals to undertake the balance work at the upcoming airport. Since the new integrated civil enclave and cargo terminal are coming up at the Air Force Station in Halwara, the formal nod of the IAF was mandatory to undertake the work inside the IAF-governed areas. Committed to making airport operational soon: CM “We are committed to making the new airport operational by March 31 following which more domestic and new international flights will be launched from here. We have provided all requisite support and assistance to finish the ongoing work at the earliest,” said Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister. MC seals 12 more hotels for parking violations in city areas Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 5 Under its drive against eateries violating parking norms, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has sealed 12 hotels in different parts of the city. These are located in busy areas of Jawahar Nagar Camp (near the bus stand) and near the Clock Tower here. Nine hotels situated in the Jawahar Nagar Camp area that falls under the Zone D of the MC, which have been sealed, are Hotel Malwa, two hotels by the name of Hotel Diamond and two hotels by the name of Hotel Armaan, Hotel Palm Inn, Hotel Tania Palace, Hotel Sidana and Hotel Indian. Besides, three hotels, which have been sealed in an area near the Clock Tower, are Hotel Puneet, Hotel Citizen and Hotel Hallmark. These fall under the Zone A of the corporation. Building branch officials of the MC’s Zone A and D offices said the action was taken on directions of MC Com- missioner Aaditya Dachalwal, who had ordered a crackdown on violators in compliance with the orders issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the past. The drive against the hotels violating norms would continue in coming days, they added. Earlier, the building branch had also sealed eight hotels situated in different areas falling under the Zone D. With this, as many as 20 hotels have been sealed in the past two days. Five injured in clash at village Ludhiana, January 5 Two groups pelted stones at each other’s houses and attacked each other with wooden sticks. The incident occurred in Bulara village, near Gill village. Five persons reportedly got injured in the brawl. A video of the incident is doing rounds on social media. One of the village residents, Mahinder Singh, said he was going to work when he got into an argument with two local youths, with whom he had old enmity, over some issue. Within no time, the duo called up their companions and allegedly attacked his home with stones, he alleged. After which, he, along with others, also pelted stones at the attackers, Mahinder said, adding that the incident was captured in CCTV cameras installed near the scene. He said a few months ago, a girl from the village died by suicide and his neighbours were holding him responsible for the incident, following which there had been a strained relationship between them. — TNS The suspect in Ludhiana police custody. Man held with heroin Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 5 The Focal Point police have arrested Vikram, alias Vicky, a resident of Neechi Mangli, Focal Point, and seized 110 gm of heroin, 15 polythene bags and Rs 20,000 in cash from him. Eight cases are already registered at various police stations against the suspect. He was granted parole on December 5, 2023, since then he was absconding. Women caught stealing at shop Ludhiana, January 5 Some women stole bags of copper wire and other valuables from an AC repair shop at Kali Sarak here following which a youth raised the alarm. Afterwards, they left the stolen items and fled the scene. One of them was caught by shopkeepers. She tolf them about the whereabouts of other suspects, following which they caught them after a chase. The stolen goods were also recovered. The police are probing the matter. A video of the incident was doing rounds on social media. — TNS Up in arms for not restoring pay parity, vets threaten agitation against state Dense fog engulfs the city on Saturday night giving a tough time to commuters on roads. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, January 5 Veterinarians have threatened to launch a stir against the state government against the delay in restoring pay parity. The state executive of the joint action committee (JAC) of the veterinarians for pay parity will meet in Ludhiana on January 11 to chalk out the plan, media in-charge Dr Gurinder Singh Walia said here on Sunday. He said despite assurances of the government prior to recently held elections, the pay parity of vets on a par with their coun- terparts in the Health Department, which was disturbed by the previous government, had not been restored till date. The JAC had earlier planned to hold a protest march at Gidderbaha on November 10 to show resentment against the dithering by the state government but the same was called off following an assurance by it to fulfil their demand after the bypolls. He said veterinary officers, senior veterinary officers, assistant directors, deputy directors, retired animal husbandry offi- cers and students of the three veterinary colleges in the state were scheduled to reach Gidderbaha to hold the protest march but following the government’s assurance and the ongoing foot and mouth disease vaccination to livestock, the JAC had suspended the agitation in the interest of livestock farmers. JAC convener Dr Gurcharan Singh flayed the government for adopting delaying tactics due to which the whole cadre of the vets was anguished. He demanded that their over four-decade-old parity with medicos, which was accorded to them by virtue of the order of the High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court also, be restored with immediate effect. JAC co-conveners Dr Puneet Malhotra, Dr Abdul Mazid, Dr Gurdeep Singh and Dr Harmandeep Singh said: “It is unfortunate on the part of the AAP government that it was ignoring genuine demand of the vets, due to which they were forced to resume their protest.”— TNS Husband, in-laws get 10 years Will expose Kejriwal’s reality in Delhi: BJP Mahila Morcha in jail in dowry death case Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 5 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Shiv Mohan Garg has sentenced Jasvir Singh, his father Trilochan Singh and mother Baljeet Kaur, all residents of Koom Kalan, to 10-year imprisonment each and fined Rs 50,000 each for dowry death of Jasvir’s wife. In this regard, a case was registered on April 2, 2019, at the Koom Kalan police station under Section 302 on the complaint of Shamsher Singh, father of the deceased. It was alleged by the complainant that his daughter Jasveer Kaur was married with Jasvir on January 13, 2019. After the marriage, her husband and in-laws started harassing her for bringing less dowry and started quarrelling over the demand for a motorcycle. He said on January 31, 2019, he, along with wife, tried to counsel the couple but the matter did not work out. According to the complainant, on April 1, 2019, he came to know that his daughter Jasveer Kaur had died by suicide by hanging herself. The complainant lodged a complaint with the police that the accused had murdered his daughter. On the basis of cogent and convincing evidence, the man his kin were found guilty. Meanwhile, the brother-inlaw of the woman, Gurpreet Singh, was acquitted by the court giving him the benefit of the doubt. — OC Ludhiana, January 5 BJP Mahila Morcha state president Jai Inder Kaur during a press conference here at the District BJP office said the CM Bhagwant Mann-led state government and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal have misled the people of Punjab. She said Mann had promised to give Rs 1,000 every month to women of Punjab before the 2017 state Assembly elections. Women were made to fill forms in every district. But two-and- c m y b BJP Mahila Morcha state president Jai Inder Kaur addresses the media in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA a-half years have passed, the state government had failed to keep its promise. Punjabis are feeling cheated today. Now, Kejriwal has started using the cheating formula in the Delhi poll. Kejriwal is continu- ously announcing to give Rs 2,100 to women in election rallies in Delhi. She said Kejriwal was a liar and he was trying to cheat women of Delhi like in Punjab. The president said if the people get trapped in the web of Kejriwal’s lies, then he would form the government to fool the public. She said leaders of the morcha and other leaders from the state would go to Delhi for campaigning and expose false promises of Kejriwal and make women aware of the same. She Inder Kaur said ever since the AAP government had come to power in Punjab, law and order had deteriorated in the state.