HISAR: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday inaugurated air taxi services from Chandigarh to Hisar under Central government's UDAN scheme.
A four-seater flight took off for Hisar from Chandigarh airport. The air taxi will cover the distance from Hisar to Chandigarh in just 50 minutes. In the next few days, flights to Dehradun and Dharamshala will also start.
"On the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival, launched air taxi service from Chandigarh to Hisar under the Central government's UDAN scheme," tweeted Manohar Lal Khattar.
"Prime minister Narendra Modi Ji had said that the person wearing slippers can also travel by air, this initiative is a step in that direction," he added.
Interacting with the media during his visit to the Hisar's under-construction airport, Hisar MLA Dr Kamal on Wednesday had said after the formation of BJP government in the Centre and state in 2014, there had been a serious discussion on this project. Today that dream is coming true, he added.
He said in the third phase of the development of the airport, the second runway would be built along with the main runway.
"Separate terminals will be made for freight and trucks etc. There will be separate terminals for domestic and international passengers. Rail traffic will be connected to the airport. Air travellers will get direct connectivity to Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. Due to the distance from Delhi to Hisar and 10,000 acres of additional land available, the construction of the airport is getting easier," the MLA said.
MLA Kamal Gupta said the airport under construction was being seen as an alternative to Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi. The construction of the airstrip under the second phase has started. The length of the airstrip of the airport being built on 7,200 acres of land will now be increased from four thousand meters.
In future, it can be expanded to a length of 14,000 feet, he added.
(With inputs from Kumar Mukesh)