Promised in Aug 2024, but launch still awaited: Security clearance delays Ambala airport’s take-off

The Ambala Civil Enclave, where commercial flight operations are yet to begin more than two years after the launch was announced. (Image for representation)

On July 15, 2024, the then Haryana Civil Aviation Minister Dr Kamal Gupta had announced that flights from Ambala airport would commence in one month. Directions were issued to the officers concerned to complete civil and electrical works, including the boundary wall, parking area, main building, entrance road, canteen and water tank, before August 15.

However, more than two years have passed since the announcement, and flights from Ambala airport are yet to commence. It is a “dream project” of Haryana’s Cabinet Minister Anil Vij, a seven-time MLA, who has been pushing for its early operationalisation.

Even as the Opposition has been targeting the BJP government over the delay in kicking off its operations, Vij told The Indian Express, “It would become operational soon, which would be a great advantage to passengers from Haryana and the neighbouring states”.

In October 2023, the then Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar laid the foundation stone for the Civil Enclave for Ambala’s first domestic airport. The land for the airport has been acquired from the Defence Ministry at a cost of approximately Rs 133 crore.

At the time of its inauguration, the officials said that its terminal will now be developed in the next six months at a cost of approximately Rs 20 crore, which will cater to a minimum of 200 passengers. It was also added that the terminal will be constructed on a 20-acre site while the runway and essential infrastructure are already in place.

According to officials, the runway at Ambala Air Force Station will be used for the take-off and landing of aircraft operating from the Ambala Civil Enclave. Officials said the enclave would benefit travellers from Haryana as well as neighbouring states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, who would be able to avail themselves of flight services to various cities.

Explaining the delay, a senior official of the Haryana Civil Aviation Department said, “Most of the work has been done. It’s the security clearance from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security that is pending. They had some observations which have been removed now. It’s like there was a window, but they would advise that it needs to be closed. Likewise, they may ask to change the location of the CCTV cameras”.

Story continues below this ad

“After clearances, the schedules would get approved from the airlines interested in flying flights from Ambala. Then it is put in the schedule of the DGCA. Some officials from the AAI have already reached Ambala. Most of the work has been completed,” the official added.

At least two Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials have been camping at the Ambala Civil Enclave for nearly eight months.

In February this year, when Ambala’s Congress MP Varun Chaudhary sought details of infrastructure works still pending for the operationalisation of flights from Ambala, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol replied, “Development works of the airport have been completed and security approval is in progress. The apron belongs to the Indian Air Force (IAF), out of which one apron bay can be utilised for commercial aircraft operations. As Ambala airport is a civil enclave, aerodrome licensing from the DGCA is not applicable”.

According to the Union minister, the airport was identified for development under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme and an amount of Rs 25 crore was sanctioned for its development. The minister said that under UDAN 4.2, the RCS route Ambala-Srinagar-Ambala was awarded to FlyBig for operation with a 19-seater aircraft.

Story continues below this ad

“The route now stands novated to Skyhop Aviation Private Limited, which is in the process of fulfilling regulatory and operational requirements, and flight operations are expected after completion of these prerequisites and operational readiness of the airport,” Mohal had said.

Chaudhary said that people will have to wait for the Ambala facility due to slow progress.

“Residents of Ambala and nearby districts pray that the fate of Ambala Civil Airport may not become like Hisar airport, where the state government keeps changing the usage of the airport from civil airport to pilot training facility to parking facility for aircraft to cargo handling facility,” he added.

Low passenger footfall in first year at Hisar airport 

On April 14, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated flight operations at Maharaja Agrasen Airport, Hisar, on April 14, 2025, by flagging off the first commercial flight from Hisar to Ayodhya.

Story continues below this ad

Sources said that Hisar Airport recorded nearly 9,500 passengers across arrivals and departures, along with 474 aircraft movements, from April 2025 to March 2026. While referring to the low passenger numbers since its inauguration, critics say Hisar airport is among India’s least-utilised commercial airports.

However, officials said the project should be seen in totality and not in isolation.

A senior officer of Haryana Civil Aviation Department said, “Till now, since April 2025, nearly 12,000 passengers have availed of the air services from Hisar airport. Soon tenders would be invited for three hangars. An aircraft movement is counted as either a landing or a take-off. There will be additional revenue after the hangars are given on rent for services to park aeroplanes for repair purposes. This would offer a cheaper option for aeroplanes in Hisar instead of Delhi airport. In 3,000 acres of land, a special Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) is also being developed in Hisar that is also in the name of the airport.”

Hisar airport currently has scheduled connectivity to Delhi, Ayodhya, Chandigarh and Jaipur. However, Haryana Civil Aviation Minister Vipul Goel told The Indian Express that talks were underway to increase the number of routes from Hisar airport to more cities, though there was a lack of aircraft. “We want to add flights from Hisar to Kolkata, Jammu and Srinagar too, which would add to the number of passengers,” the minister said.

Story continues below this ad

When asked about the delay in operationalisation of the Ambala Civil Enclave, Goel said, “We would remove the small shortcomings which are still pending at the facility and would make it operational soon after taking necessary permissions”.