Jewar's Noida International Airport: An insight

The execution of Modi government's dream project - the Noida International Airport - took its first step today after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone. Although the project promises to be a developmental advancement, it has been criticized by environmentalists and farmers in the past. Here's a sneak peak into the details of this soon-to-be-ready international airport.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of another one of UP government's ambitious projects - the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar today. Just like the Purvanchal Expressway, this project has also reportedly been a dream project for the BJP and can potentially prove to be a feather in their cap during the upcoming Assembly elections.

The project is being developed on a total area of 5,845 hectares. The development will be executed in four stages. In the first stage, an area of 1334 hectares will be occupied. A minimum of 178 planes will be able to take off from this airport once it is operational. The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Area (YEIDA) has been given the responsibility of the working agency to execute this project, while the Zurich International Airport AG will monitor its development of the airport.

Despite being a project that promises development, it has received opposition from farmers as well as environmentalists and some political figures in the past. During the land acquisition protocols for this project back in 2017, the farmers of Noida had refused to sell their lands. The government had reportedly started buying the required land from the farmers directly instead of acquiring it through Land Acquisition Act. The farmers had demanded higher prices for their lands, with an increase of over 64%, and an added 10% of developed land. On not receiving any positive response for their demands, they had started protesting. On receiving such opposition from the farmers, the authorities had also put some of them behind the bars. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait had supported the farmers at that time.

The Yamuna Expressway Authority and the Forest Department team, after a combined survey, had decided to cut down 11,000 trees for the land acquirement for this project. These trees involved Eucalyptus, Guava and some other species of trees. The Divisional Forest Officer had said that 10 saplings will be planted for each tree that will be cut down, resulting into more than 1 lakh new plantations. The newly planted trees will be looked after by the forest department. The budget proposal for these plantations has already been forwarded by the authorities and awaits response.

After the airport is fully operational, it will be the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh, making it the state with maximum number of airports in India. Until 2012, there were only 2 airports in the state. On October 20, Prime Minister inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport, whereas another international airport is also under construction in Ayodhya and will be functional by next year. The Ayodhya Airport, another ambitious project by the Modi government, will be the largest airport in India, and the fourth largest in the world.

The UP government had allotted a total budget of Rs 2,000 crores for the development of this airport in February 2021. However, the estimated expenditure for this airport may go up to Rs. 29,650 crores. There will be a total of 5 runways operational at this airport. It is being estimated that around 1 crore 20 lakh passengers will be able to travel through this airport every year. In the first year, however, the passenger count can hit the mark of 40 lakh passengers for a start.

Initially, 8 domestic and one international flight will fly from the NIA. The number of flights will increase gradually over time. The airport will be fully functional by September 2024, and will considerably decrease the air traffic load from the Delhi International Airport. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, around 35 thousand passengers will divert towards the NIA from the Delhi International Airport after the former is fully functional.

Initially, the connectivity of the NIA will be limited to Yamuna Expressway, Bulandshehar-Jewar Highway and Peripheral Expressway. But over time, the connectivity will increase. The government also plans to introduce a metro corridor between the NIA and Delhi International airport. Another metro from Greater Noida Knowledge Park to Jewar Airport will also be developed. To connect NIA with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the government also plans to introduce a 6 lane road extending up to 31 kms between Ballabhgarh in Haryana to Jewar Airport. Pod taxis will connect the NIA with Noida Film City also.