Ensure No Outsiders Mislead Villagers About Land Acquisition For Noida Airport: CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a site inspection of the Noida International Airport, currently under construction in Jewar, on Tuesday as he sought to address issues related to land acquisition for the mega project. He also directed officials to ensure that "no outsiders mislead the villagers" about the land acquisition process.

The chief minister closely examined the ongoing work and issued essential directives to ensure timely completion. After that, he held a comprehensive review meeting with district administration, local authorities, and officials of the company constructing the airport.

The airport, whose foundation stone was laid in November 2021, was initially expected to commence operations by the end of September this year after completion of first phase. However, in June, its developer said the flights can be expected around April 2025.

The first phase of the greenfield airport will be spread over 1,300 hectares while eventually the plan is to cover an area of more than 5,000 hectares in four phases, becoming the largest airport in the country, according to project officials.

"The CM emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality standards while adhering to the established timeline for the airport's completion. He also instructed that any issues arising during construction should be promptly communicated to the state government for resolution," said an official statement.

"During the meeting, he addressed issues related to land acquisition for the airport. He asked senior district officials and public representatives to speak with villagers who are facing difficulties with land acquisition and to resolve their issues peacefully," the statement said.

He also emphasised that "officials should ensure that no outsiders mislead the villagers about the land acquisition process".

"Additionally, the chief minister suggested that officials use the expertise of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to help with acquiring the land needed for the airport," the statement said.

The CM emphasised the importance of ensuring strong connectivity to the Noida International Airport. He called for the creation of an action plan to complete the work on rail, metro, and other transport facilities that will serve the airport.

"Adityanath stated that these transportation links should be ready by the time the airport is completed, ensuring seamless travel for passengers. Additionally, he highlighted the need for multi-level parking facilities at the airport to avoid any inconvenience for passengers," the statement added.

During the review meeting, Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma, UP Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, and officials of the companies constructing the Noida airport were present.

Airport officials recently said most of the work of the runway is complete.

In the first phase, the airport will have one terminal, one runway, 10 aerobridges and 25 parking stands. Among others, check-in kiosks, self-service bag drops, and e-gates are being tested.

According to officials, the airport is being developed in four phases by the Switzerland-based concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG's special purpose vehicle Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

YIAPL CEO Christoph Schnellmann earlier told that there was a large interest from domestic and international carriers for the airport.

Once all four phases are completed, the airport will have a capacity to handle 70 million passengers per year. The concession period for the airport that commenced on October 1, 2021, will run for 40 years.