Members of Parliaments’ panel on civil aviation, Union Sports Minister MS Gill and BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, today reviewed infrastructure enhancement at Rajasansi International Airport, which is facing hard times after various airlines suspended their operations from here.

They pulled up the officials of the Customs Department for delays in the projects, including electronic data interface (EDI). Gill, while talking to mediapersons after a meeting with the departments concerned, said efforts were on to save the airport. “I will leave no stone unturned to save the airport, which is the lifeline of the economy in this region. I will also speak to the Prime Minister,” said Gill, adding that administrative hurdles coming in the way of infrastructure addition would also be cleared.

He enquired from a team of the Customs officials, led by Additional Commissioner, Customs, Jasbir Singh Luthra and Assistant Commissioner VK Mahajan, about the delays in setting up the EDI, which would smoothen cargo transport. The officials tried to pass the buck on the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for not providing them a room for setting up the machinery, but Gill and Sidhu chided them for evading their responsibility.

Gill said he would talk to the senior Customs authorities in Delhi and heads of other departments, including AAI and Civil Aviation Ministry, for speeding up work to add infrastructure, including more x-ray machines, conveyor belts, aerodromes and terminal buildings. “I have spoken to various airlines in the official as well as personal capacity. Though they will take decisions to restart or start operations as per their revenue parameters, airlines have also demanded a modern airport,” said Gill.

He said the panel would hold an important meeting in Delhi on January 15 to discuss infrastructure enhancement. “No excuse will be tolerated for administrative delays or anomalies, and heads will roll,” said Gill, adding that talks with Singapore Airlines were on to review their decision of suspension of flight from February 1. “I have also held talks with Jet Airways to restart their direct Washington flight via London and with Air India to continue their flight to Toronto via Birmingham,” he said.

Sidhu said flight would follow once the infrastructure was ready.