PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Noida International Airport Phase 1
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Phase 1 of the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar. The airport is the second international airport in the National Capital Region (NCR) and one of India's largest greenfield aviation projects in recent years. The project was developed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, with investments from Uttar Pradesh and India.
Project details
Phase 1 to have 12 million capacity
Phase 1 of NIA was developed at an investment of ₹11,282 crore. It includes one runway and one terminal with a capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually. The cargo terminal can initially handle 2.5 lakh metric tons annually, expandable to 18 lakh metric tons. The full masterplan will eventually scale passenger capacity to 70 million per year, making Uttar Pradesh home to five international airports when fully operational.
Airline operations
Three airlines confirm NIA operations
IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express have confirmed operations from NIA. The initial network will connect Noida with major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow and Dehradun. However, commercial flight operations are likely to start only in May due to pending regulatory approvals.
Eco-friendly design
LC3 cement used at NIA
The terminal was designed by a consortium of Nordic, Grimshaw, Haptic and STUP. Tata Projects Ltd was the EPC contractor for the project. NIA is India's first large-scale infrastructure project to use low-carbon LC3 cement in its construction. It aims for net-zero emissions through sustainable design and operational principles, with Tata Power supplying solar and wind power.
Transport hub
NIA integrates road, rail and metro
NIA is directly connected to the six-lane Yamuna Expressway and is positioned as a multi-modal transport hub integrating road, rail and metro networks. Last-mile connectivity is ensured through partnerships with Uber and Rapido, while UPSRTC bus routes connect over 25 cities across Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states. Mahindra Logistics Mobility will provide an all-electric taxi service from the airport.