CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haryana on April 14 to inaugurate air services from Maharaja Agrasen International Airport in Hisar and lay the foundation stone for an 800 MW unit at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar. These projects aim to enhance regional connectivity and strengthen the state’s power infrastructure.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haryana on April 14 and will gift two major projects to the people of the state. These include the foundation stone laying of a new 800 MW unit at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, built at a cost of Rs 7,272.06 crore, and the inauguration of air services from Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar.”
Saini stated that an Integrated Aviation Hub is being developed over 7,200 acres in Hisar, with 4,200 acres allocated for the airport and 3,000 acres for an Integrated Manufacturing Cluster.
The airport’s development is divided into three phases, with the first phase already completed at a cost of Rs 50 crore, including a terminal building. In the second phase, a 3,000-metre-long runway has been constructed, enabling Airbus aircraft with up to 180 passengers to operate.
“On June 13, 2024, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Alliance Air to start air services to five cities: Ayodhya, Jammu, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh,” Saini said. He further added that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) applied for a licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on January 23 this year, and on March 13, the DGCA issued the licence to the AAI.
The chief minister also reaffirmed in his budget speech on March 17 that flights from Hisar to Ayodhya, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, and Jammu would soon begin.
Regarding the power project, Saini said, “The Union Ministry of Power has granted approval to Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) for setting up this third unit at the Yamunanagar-based thermal power plant. This project is an expansion of the existing 2×300 MW units at the facility. The project has a completion deadline of 52 months, with commercial operations expected to commence within 48 months.”
He added that with the addition of the 800 MW unit, Haryana’s domestic power generation capacity will increase to 3,382 MW. Currently, the state has an installed power capacity of approximately 14,000 MW, of which 2,582 MW is generated by HPGCL.
The project has already received clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, along with approval from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board.
Saini further announced that a state-level event will be held to mark the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar. “The Prime Minister’s presence as the chief guest of the programme will serve as an inspiration for the younger generation and boost morale across the state,” he said.
“Dr B.R. Ambedkar dedicated his life to uplifting the underprivileged and backward communities, providing society with a unifying path through the Indian Constitution. To ensure that his life and contributions continue to inspire future generations, this event is being organised,” he added.