New Delhi, Mar 1 (IANS): Punjab NRIs Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Wednesday demanded to include both the Amritsar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali for direct flights to Canada and the US.

He said the commencement of the direct flights would ensure great facility to a large number of travellers for both sides.

Calling on Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia here, Dhaliwal apprised him that large number of Punjabis and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders had been living in Canada and the US since long, and that during the NRI sammelan organised by the Punjab government in December last, these NRIs sought commencement of these flights.

The state minister said there has been a persistent demand for providing direct air connectivity between Amritsar and Canada. Citing that it is of utmost significant to make direct flights operational from Amritsar to Canadian cities, the minister said presently travellers both from Amritsar and Canadian cities are hugely inconvenienced, as they have to travel to or from New Delhi or other cities in India to reach their destinations.