Noida International Airport to be Inaugurated on October 30, Commercial Flights in 45 Days

Noida, Uttar Pradesh (Urban Transport News): In a landmark moment for India’s aviation and infrastructure sector, the much-anticipated Noida International Airport at Jewar is set to be inaugurated on October 30, with commercial operations expected to begin within 45 days, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu announced on Wednesday.

The announcement came during the Yatri Sewa Diwas celebrations at Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad, where the minister confirmed that the initial phase will connect at least 10 cities, making Jewar a key aviation and cargo hub for the National Capital Region (NCR).

India’s Second Major Airport in NCR

Spread over 1,334 hectares, the Noida International Airport will become the second full-fledged commercial airport in the NCR after Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Phase 1 development includes:

• A 3,900-meter runway

• A passenger terminal with an initial capacity of 12 million passengers annually

• Scalability to handle 70 million passengers across four phases

Officials estimate six million passengers in the first year alone.

Infrastructure Readiness and Final Approvals

The airport's core infrastructure is nearly complete:

• Runway and ATC tower: Completed

• Terminal structure: Finished, with interior fittings in the final stages

• Aerobridges, check-in counters, e-gates, and baggage systems: Installed and undergoing trials

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has begun commissioning systems at the ATC tower, and Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) exercises—including simulations and training—are currently underway.

A Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL) spokesperson confirmed that:

“Tests are in progress on baggage handling, security equipment, check-in counters, and boarding gates.”

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has also granted airside clearance, with only two steps pending—Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) licensing and announcement of commercial flight routes.

Airlines Lining Up for Takeoff

Airlines are eager to commence operations from the new airport:

• IndiGo, which conducted a validation flight in December 2023, has signed an MoU as the launch carrier

• Akasa Air has committed to establishing a strong network from Jewar

• Initial routes under discussion include Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and other Tier-1 cities

Cargo and Connectivity Hub

Minister Naidu highlighted Jewar’s strategic role beyond civil aviation:

“We see it as more than civil aviation connectivity – it will be a major cargo hub as well.”

Its proximity to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, and planned rail and metro links positions Jewar as a multimodal logistics gateway, integral to the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

Mrs. Mamta Shah, MD & CEO of Urban Infra Group, welcomed the development:

“The Jewar airport is a monumental step in India's infrastructure expansion. Its seamless integration with road and future rail networks makes it a model for regional development and sustainable aviation growth.”

Penalties and Push for Timely Delivery

The project has faced repeated delays, originally targeted for September 2024. To accelerate progress, the Uttar Pradesh government imposed a ₹10 lakh per day penalty on the concessionaire from January 2025.

Now in its final phase, the project is on track, with final readiness expected by mid-October, followed by licensing.

Upcoming Passenger-Friendly Initiatives

Minister Naidu also announced several upcoming initiatives across Indian airports:

• Free WiFi at all airports within the next 1–2 months

• Library facilities and kids’ play zones to be installed within 3 months

Spotlight on Hindon Airport

The minister also lauded Hindon Airport for connecting 16 cities, including Chennai, Goa, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Varanasi, Patna, and Jammu.

Despite success, infrastructure limitations such as just two parking bays have led to congestion. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has requested 9 hectares of land from the Uttar Pradesh government for terminal expansion.

The October 30 inauguration of Noida International Airport will usher in a new era of air travel and cargo logistics in India. With key metro, expressway, and rail connectivity, the Jewar airport promises to decongest Delhi’s air traffic, boost regional economic growth, and serve as a model for smart airport infrastructure aligned with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.