However, the industry has given a lukewarm response to the plan stating that the location is not up to the mark as the government is coming up with an international airport in Mohali which is an hour's drive from Machiwara.

Moreover, a majority of them term it as an election gimmick because earlier too, international airport status for Ludhiana was approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation but later shelved.

Avon Cycles managing director Onkar Singh Pahwa said, "Reports on international airport are doing the rounds for long. Earlier, it was proposed to come up at Sahnewal, then at Halwara, Ladhowal and now Machiwara. Nothing concrete has happened as of now."

Manuj Mehta, head of the marketing wing of Malwa Cotton in Machiwara, however, said, "It would be a good development for the industry in and around Machiwara. But we have been listening to the international airport plans for long. Even after the announcement, the industry is not showing much enthusiasm. We want to see the results this time."

S C Ralhan, regional chairman, Engineering Export Promotion Council, however, welcomed the move and said Ludhiana needed an airport since long.

Talking about the plans, Raj Shekhar Aggarwal, Director Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd- the specialist company engaged in the development of aerotropolis projects in Ludhiana, said, "The land acquisition process will be over by the end of November and the construction will start by December-end. In the first phase, we will spend Rs 2,000 crore and we plan to dedicate the airport to masses by first quarter of 2012."