The National Capital Region (NCR) will soon get its second international airport as the government confirmed that the Noida International Airport at Jewar in western Uttar Pradesh will be launched on October 30. Flight operations are likely to commence about 45 days after the opening, Union Civil Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said.
The airport is situated in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district, nearly 75 km from Delhi. The greenfield project will play a crucial role in addition to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, as it currently handles the major air traffic in the region. The project is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model by the Uttar Pradesh government and Zurich Airport’s subsidiary, which is looking after the construction.
Minister confirms the launch date, Airlines aim to cover 10 cities
While speaking to The Indian Express, Naidu stated, ‘’We are trying to push the launch…right now the date that we have decided is October 30.’’ He further added that airlines see huge potential in the Jewar catchment area and at least 10 cities, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, are expected to be connected in the first phase. Discussions with IndiGo are currently going on, though no official confirmation has been made.
The minister also shared wider plans to enhance passenger experience across India’s airports, including libraries, providing free WiFi, and kids zones in the time span of the next two months.
All about the Noida International Airport
Naidu called Noida Airport a “strategic civil aviation hub’’ that will not only manage passenger traffic but will also play a major role in crucial operations. Christoph Schnellamann, CEO of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, stated to the Indian Express that the project would bring a mixture of “Indian warmth and Swiss efficiency”. The architecture and the design elements are influenced by Uttar Pradesh’s cultural heritage.
Plans include installing a local cuisine counter like Raj ki Galiyan, along with a short walking distance and faster transfer time for passengers.
Once the airport is operational, the first phase of the airport will have the space to manage 12 million passengers annually. Officials expect that it will also boost growth in the Western UP, as the semiconductor and industrial projects that have been recently announced in the state. Noida International Airport is projected to rise as a key aviation and cargo hub for NCR.