MP: Probe dip in Amritsar airport’s income

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 27

Accusing GMR of unfairly diverting flights from the Amritsar airport to the Delhi airport, BJP MP Shwait Malik today sought an inquiry into the reasons behind the falling revenues of the Amritsar airport.

“For the benefit of the India Gandhi International Airport, many direct flights from Amritsar to USA, UK and Canada stopped without any reason,” he alleged.

"After the privatisation of the Indira Gandhi airport, the growth of the Amritsar airport had suffered a major setback," he said, while accusing GMR of benefitting from cargo and passengers bound for Amritsar.

Pointing out that the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and Wagah Border near Amritsar draw tourists, especially Punjabis from across the globe, he sought commencement of chartered flights to the Amritsar airport to tap its religious tourism potential.

"Why has anyone not raised the issue of recent losses of the Amritsar airport when it was earlier a profitable airport? The number of passengers and volume of cargo has increased manifold since 2010, but yet its revenues have dropped. Why investing company of Delhi Airport is controlling the Amritsar airport's flights," he said.