Haryana agrees to Chandigarh airport nomenclature

Chandigarh, Aug 7 (UNI) The Haryana government has no objection to naming the proposed Chandigarh international airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as suggested by the Punjab government, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said today.

''We have no objection to this nomenclature as Shaheed Bhagat Singh is a national hero and he belongs to the entire country,'' Mr Hooda said while talking to reporters here.

The Haryana government had earlier taken exception to the proposal that the airport be called Mohali International airport, saying Haryana would be contributing as much amount of money as Punjab would do for the construction of the airport.

Haryana had become a stakeholder in the airport with the last minute efforts of Mr Hooda who forced the UPA government to incorporate the state as a partner in the project when it was inaugurated earlier this year.

Regarding a letter by the Punjab government asking Haryana to pay Rs 250 crore for the acquisition of land for the airport, Mr Hooda said the letter held no relevance as the airport would be constructed under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) constituted for the purpose.

The Haryana government would make the payment only when it would be asked by the SPV, he added.

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