GAUTAM BUDH NAGAR: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the underconstruction Noida International Airport in Jewar on Saturday and was assured by officials that all pending work will be completed by Nov 15.
The CM reviewed the status of work at the domestic terminal, the inauguration venue, security arrangements, traffic management, and projects currently under construction. He then chaired a meeting with officials of Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), the airport construction agency, senior administration and police officials to address each matter in detail.
Calling the Noida International Airport a symbol of UP’s development, Yogi warned officials of any laxity that may hamper preparations for the inauguration of the airport. He spoke about the importance of beautification, cleanliness, and passenger amenities across the airport complex and surrounding areas. Reviewing connectivity and traffic management, Yogi said that a coordinated and concrete plan must be in place while connecting roads and Metro should be completed at the earliest.
Christoph Schnellmann, the CEO of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, gave a detailed presentation to the CM on developments related to civil aviation, security, the explosives squad, control units, sub-stations, and infrastructure. Chief Operating Officer Kiran Jain provided detailed information on issuance of permits, passenger security, testing of the runway, and deployment of CISF for security. Yogi also reviewed the progress on the cargo transport links, the fire station, water treatment plant, drainage systems, and parking facilities.
The Noida International Airport is spread over 3,300 acres. So far, 6,700 acres have been acquired for the project, and the remaining 5,100 acres will be acquired within the next three months, said a government spokesperson. He said that the cost of land acquisition is approximately Rs 5,000 crore, while the cost of construction will be about Rs 7,000 crore.
Once inaugurated, the airport will operate with one runway with a capacity to manage 150 flights per day. The airport’s capacity will be 12 million passengers annually. Once passenger traffic will exceed 10 million per year, work on the second runway will commence, at the completion of which the airport will be able to serve 70 million passengers annually. At full capacity, Jewar Airport will feature five runways, spread over 11,750 acres and a passenger handling capacity of 300 million annually, making it one of the largest airports in the world. With the opening of the Noida International Airport, UP will become first in India with 5 international airports.
