PM Modi to inaugurate Noida International Airport on Mar 28

New Delhi: The much-awaited Noida International Airport (NIA) is set to be inaugurated on Saturday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the second major airport in the national capital region that will boost the country's efforts to be a global aviation hub.

Among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, NIA, located in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, will initially have a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum.

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Once fully developed, the airport will have a total passenger handling capacity of 70 million.

Modi on Friday said the airport will boost commerce and connectivity and ease congestion at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.

"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," he said.

The first phase of NIA has been developed at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore. 'DXN' is the code for the airport, which will be operated by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership.

"The airport features a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting to support efficient, all-weather, round-the-clock operations," an official statement said on Thursday.

Originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024, NIA is being developed in four phases along with a dedicated cargo terminal. It received an aerodrome license from the aviation regulator DGCA earlier this month.

According to an official statement on Friday, together, the Delhi and Noida airports will function as an integrated aviation system, easing congestion, expanding passenger capacity, and positioning Delhi-NCR among the leading global aviation hubs.

A five-tier security ring has been put in place, and around 5,000 security personnel have been deployed for the inauguration of the NIA on Saturday. There will also be traffic restrictions in connection with the airport inauguration by the Prime Minister.

NIA will have a robust cargo ecosystem, including a multi-modal cargo hub, featuring an integrated cargo terminal and logistics zones.

The cargo facility is designed to handle over 2.5 lakh metric tonnes annually, expandable to around 18 lakh metric tonnes, and includes a dedicated 40-acre Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility.

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In a release issued on March 6, the civil aviation ministry said the airport will have a runway with orientation 10/28 and dimensions of 3,900 m × 45 m, supported by an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) system, enabling 24×7 operations.

"The aerodrome has parking stands for 24 Code C and 02 Code D/F aircraft and is equipped with ARFF Category 9 facilities capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300ER," it had said.

According to the official statement on Thursday, the airport's architectural design draws inspiration from Indian heritage, incorporating elements reminiscent of traditional ghats and havelis, thereby blending cultural aesthetics with modern infrastructure.

The airport is connected to the six-lane Yamuna Expressway, offering swift access to Noida, Greater Noida, Delhi, Gurugram, and major cities of western Uttar Pradesh.

On Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh government said NIA is set to become a "game changer" for the state's economy with a wide-ranging impact across agriculture, industry, logistics and employment generation.

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