In a significant move during the ongoing winter session of Parliament, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament has put forth a dual demand concerning a key airport in Punjab. The proposal seeks to honor a revered spiritual figure and significantly upgrade the facility's infrastructure to benefit the local populace and the diaspora.
Parliamentary Push for Naming Airport After Guru Ravidas
Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, the AAP Lok Sabha member representing the Hoshiarpur constituency, raised a formal demand in the Lok Sabha. He urged the Union government to name the inter-state airport located at Adampur after the saint-poet Guru Ravidas. Chabbewal highlighted that the AAP-led Punjab government had already passed a proposal to this effect in the Punjab Assembly and forwarded it to the Central government for approval.
The MP provided a compelling timeline for this initiative. He pointed out that the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas will be celebrated across the nation for an entire year, spanning from 2026 to 2027. He argued that this presents a perfect opportunity for the Centre to act on the naming proposal. Chabbewal expressed a grand gesture of respect, stating that once the Central government makes a positive decision, they would commemorate it by engraving the name of Guru Ravidas at the airport in gold letters.
Call for International Airport Status to Boost Connectivity
Beyond the renaming, Dr Chabbewal presented a strong case for upgrading the Adampur Airport to an international facility. His argument centered on the demographic and economic profile of the Doaba region, which the airport primarily serves.
He emphasized that a very large number of families in the Doaba region have relatives living and working abroad, particularly the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) community. Making Adampur an international airport would offer immense convenience to these NRIs, allowing for direct travel to their homeland. Furthermore, the MP stressed that such an upgrade would provide a major boost to local industry and trade by improving direct cargo and passenger connectivity with global destinations.
Next Steps and Political Implications
The demand places the ball squarely in the court of the Central government. With the proposal already sent from the state, the onus is now on the Centre to take the next steps. The issue ties together cultural recognition, regional development, and infrastructure politics.
By linking the demand to the upcoming 650th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ravidas, the AAP MP has framed it within a context of cultural tribute and timely action. The push for international status also addresses long-standing requests from the powerful NRI community and industrial bodies in Punjab. The development of this inter-state airport is now a subject of keen interest, watched by both political observers and the residents of the Doaba region.
