The highly anticipated inauguration of Halwara International Airport, originally set for July 27, has been postponed. No official reason has been given for the delay.

According to airport officials, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had started preparing for a virtual inauguration ceremony by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, those preparations have now been paused. While no official explanation has been provided, sources suggest that the Prime Minister’s busy schedule due to the Bihar election campaign may be a contributing factor.

Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr. Amar Singh Boparai, who also chairs the Civil Aviation Committee for Halwara and Sahnewal airports, said that the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet given formal approval for the airport’s inauguration.

“I’ve already discussed pending work and the inauguration with the Civil Aviation Minister,” said Boparai, adding that as per standard protocol, he would be consulted before any date for the PM’s participation is finalized.

Earlier, Punjab’s Industries and NRI Affairs Minister Sanjiv Arora had officially announced that PM Modi would virtually inaugurate the airport on July 27.

The district administration had also confirmed that the terminal building is ready and that the infrastructure needed to launch flight operations has been completed to the AAI’s satisfaction.

On Tuesday, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain reviewed the progress of remaining minor work at the airport, such as CCTV setup and cleanliness. He also held a meeting with senior officials from departments including PWD, Public Health, PSPCL, AAI, NHAI, and others involved in the project.