Kamal Ghorui
Glimpse of Noida International Airport (Shared by PM Modi on X)
NEW DELHI: The Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh will be inaugurated on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modiopening the first phase of the project that is set to add capacity to the National Capital Region’s aviation network.“Tomorrow, 28th March is a day of immense importance for the people of Uttar Pradesh and the NCR. Phase I of Noida International Airport will be inaugurated. This will boost commerce and connectivity. It will ease congestion at the IGI Airport in Delhi,” said the PM in a post on X.
Located in Gautam Buddha Nagar district along the Yamuna Expressway, the airport has been developed as the second international gateway for Delhi-NCR, after the Indira Gandhi International Airport, which currently handles the bulk of the region’s air traffic.Project scope and costPhase I of the airport has been built at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore under a public-private partnership model. It is designed to handle 12 million passengers per annum initially, with provision to scale up capacity to 70 million passengers annually in subsequent phases.
Infrastructure and operationsThe airport has a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft. It is equipped with Instrument Landing System (ILS) and airfield lighting to support all-weather, round-the-clock operations.The project is among the largest greenfield airport developments in India.Cargo and support facilitiesApart from passenger operations, the airport includes cargo infrastructure with an integrated cargo terminal and logistics zones. The facility is designed to handle over 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of cargo annually in the first phase, expandable to around 18 lakh metric tonnes.A 40-acre maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility is also part of the project.
Role in NCR aviation networkOnce operational, the Noida airport is expected to function in conjunction with Delhi’s IGI Airport to distribute passenger and cargo traffic, addressing capacity constraints in the region.Inauguration scheduleAccording to the official programme, PM Modi will visit the airport on March 28, undertake a walkthrough of the terminal building and then at around 12 noon, inaugurate Phase I before addressing a public gathering.The airport is expected to begin operations with its initial capacity, with further expansion planned in phases.
