AMRITSAR, MAY 9 Just a few years ago, it was a one-plane stop. But now, Rajasansi Airport is fast becoming a buzzing hub of international action—and getting a new look, too.

Singapore Airline, which landed here four months ago, has been going full—three days a week. And with a new terminal likely to open in October, British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Phuket Airlines, Tajikistan Airlines, Uzbek Airways and Air-India are also lining up a landing here, say officials.

With Air-India starting its Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto-Amritsar service on May 15, the number of flights will go up to 56 a week—a big leap from a mere three in 1997.

Even cargo flights, such as those of Ariana to Kabul, are planning to double their flights from three to six in a week, while First Flight, a courier service, has evinced interest in starting operations, say officials.

With air traffic surging by as much as 41 per cent in the last four years, S V Molekar, Director, Airport Authority of India (AAI), says most of these airlines are planning to cash in on Punjabi NRI passengers.

‘‘That is the main incentive. For, at Rs 1 lakh a flight, the operating rates here are akin to those charged at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport though the facilities here are far inferior,’’ says Molekar.

The AAI, he says, is now tackling the Rajasansi challenge on a warfooting with a budget of Rs 79 crore, which also explains the haze of dust that hangs over the airport these days.

He admits that the airport, so far, hasn’t lived up to the ‘‘international’’ status it was accorded in 1999. The tin shed that doubles up as terminal, lack of basic amenities like chairs, trolleys, and booths for customs make for a miserable experience for passengers.

‘‘We know passengers are facing inconvenience now but once it (the makeover) is completed, it will be a top-notch international airport,’’ says Molekar.

At Rajasansi, work is on at full swing—the new terminal is already towering over the complex and the cargo apparatus is preparing to receive over 50 flights per week from the current 25.

The AAI is also factoring in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status granted to Amritsar by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently.

‘‘Now cargo flights comprise only 10 per cent, but they are likely to double once the SEZ comes through,’’ says Molekar.

The AAI has also decided to develop 28,000 sq metres of land for core airport operations, instead of the 15,000 sq metres planned earlier.

In fact, Molekar promises to throw open the revamped terminal building this October. The runway extension, too, is complete and bigger aircraft would now be able to land here and take off without any hitch, he says—night vision and fog lighting are next on the agenda.