Chandigarh, Jun 9 (PTI) Less than two months after the launch of air service from Hisar's Maharaja Agrasen Airport to Ayodhya, the flight services to Chandigarh has also begun from Monday.
"Today is a day of pride for all the people of Haryana. After Ayodhya, direct air service to Chandigarh has now started from the state's first airport Maharaja Agrasen Airport, Hisar. On this auspicious occasion, I heartily congratulate all the people of the state," CM Nayab Singh Saini said in a post on X in Hindi.
By flagging off the first commercial flight from Hisar to Chandigarh and travelling in the same flight himself, Saini said he became witness to the beginning of a new era in Haryana.
On April 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Terminal Building of the Maharaja Agrasen airport in Hisar worth over Rs 410 crore.
The PM had also flagged off a commercial flight from Hisar to Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, speaking in Hisar before flagging off the commercial flight to Chandigarh, CM Saini said that soon, air services will be started from Hisar to other major cities of the country.
While this will benefit the citizens with convenient, fast and accessible travel, Hisar will also take a new flight of development, he said.
He said in the coming days, air services will be expanded in a phased manner and will be started from Hisar to Jaipur, Jammu and Ahmedabad.
Saini said it is a proud day for Haryana because this airport is Haryana's first airport, which was dedicated to the people of Haryana by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Prime Minister's dream is that even the common citizens of the country should be able to use air service and in the last 11 years, this dream has been brought to reality in many ways, he said.
He said due to this airport, Hisar will also become a hub of industry in the coming time and various types of facilities will be available due to which this area will develop at a fast pace.
The Chief Minister took a dig at the opposition and said its leaders used to say that Maharaja Agrasen Airport was an aerodrome, it was not known whether flights will start from here or not.
But the government started air services from Hisar airport as per its promise and these services will be continuously expanded, he said.
Saini also said the Narendra Modi-led central government has completed 11 glorious years and added under his leadership every Indian has seen the speed at which the country has progressed in these years.
He said India has taken an upward flight in these 11 years. India's respect has increased in the world and it has become strong and powerful.
In these 11 years, more than 150 airports, about 2500 universities and institutions like IIT and IIM have been built in the country, he said.
"This is Modi's India - a strong and powerful India," he said.
He said the Prime Minister has resolved that India should become a developed nation by the year 2047 and at the same pace, the state government is also moving Haryana forward to make it 'Viksit Haryana'.
The CM said there has been a change in the system under the leadership of the Prime Minister and children of the poor are getting government jobs on the basis of their hard work.
In Haryana too, in the last 11 years, deserving candidates have got jobs on the basis of transparency, "whereas earlier, jobs were given on 'kharchi-parchi' (nepotism) system".
This difference has been seen only under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.
Haryana's Civil Aviation Minister Vipul Goel said about two months ago, air services were formally launched from Maharaja Agrasen Airport, Hisar by the Prime Minister, and taking this forward, the Chief Minister has launched flight service from Hisar to Chandigarh on Monday.
He said this service is not limited to just an air journey, but is going to give impetus to the economic and industrial development of the entire region.
It will benefit not only Hisar, but also other parts of neighbouring states like Rajasthan and Punjab, he said.
Goel said this flight service will prove to be helpful in strengthening the industries of Hisar and in the coming time, Hisar will establish its identity as a major industrial centre. PTI SUN NB NB