The maiden flight from Delhi to Adampur landed at the domestic airport at 4.34 pm here on Tuesday.
On arrival, the passengers were given a rousing welcome amid beats of bhangra and giddha and were offered sweets
Amongst the first passengers were Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh, state BJP president Shwet Malik and members of the Doaba Airport Welfare Association (DAWA).
MP Chaudhary was received by Punjab Cabinet Minister Sunder Sham Arora on behalf of the state government.
Speaking on the occasion, Sampla as well as Chaudhary Santokh Singh tried to take credit for getting the airport constructed in Doaba.
Sampla applauded the regional connectivity scheme launched by the Union government and stated that it has helped common man realise the dream to travel by air.
Chaudhary Santokh appreciated the role of the Congress government for completing the job left by the previous regime.
The airport was constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore and was completed in two years.
The Congress government also spent over Rs 70 lakh on the construction of the periphery road, electricity and water supply arrangements at Kandhola village.
When the Congress government took over in February last year, it was to pay Rs 16.33 crore as state share. As soon as the party came to power, it released state's share.
