Question : Renaming of Airport

(a) whether the Union Government has received representations from various civil society organizations, eminent individuals and State Governments that the Chandigarh Airport situated in Mohali should be renamed Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Airport and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Union Government has taken any action on these representations, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the time by which the Union Government would rename the Chandigarh Airport as Shaheed-E- Azam Bhagat Singh Airport; and

(d) whether the Union Government does not intend dedicating the said Airport in the name of Shaheed-E- Azam Bhagat Singh and if so, the reasons therefor?

The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) to (d): The Government of Punjab had sent a proposal in year 2008 for naming of Civil Air terminal Complex at Chandigarh Airport as "Shaheed-E-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali". The Government of Haryana has requested to name the terminal as "Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh". While both the State Governments of Punjab and Haryana were unanimous in the opinion that the terminal be named after "Shaheed Bhagat Singh", there was a difference of opinion between the Governments of Punjab and Haryana regarding the name of the city to be added after the terminal name as ''Mohali'' or ''Chandigarh'' respectively.;
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Since both the State Governments of Punjab and Haryana are equal partners in the Joint Venture that developed the new airport and ''Chandigarh'' being the common Capital of the States of Haryana and Punjab, there were strong objections for adding the name of the city as ''Mohali'' as it may suggest that the airport belongs to Punjab. Further, it could also create confusion in the minds of the travellers. This Ministry has made several attempts to reach a unanimous opinion in the matter. While the Government of Haryana has responded by passing a resolution in the State Legislative Assembly to name the Airport as "Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh", the Government of Punjab has reiterated its earlier stand and hence no progress could be made in the matter.