Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Noida International Airport located in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, which marks the development of the second international airport in the Delhi-NCR region of India. The new airport is aimed at reducing the rising passenger traffic at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Expansion planned in phases
The airport is being constructed in two phases, with a long-term plan to expand the passenger handling capacity of the airport considerably. Once the airport is fully constructed, it is estimated that it will have the capacity to serve a total of 225 million passengers annually. In the first phase of the airport's development, the expansion of the airport will be done in four phases annually, increasing the annual passenger handling capacity from 12 million to 70 million passengers.
Also Read | PM Modi to inaugurate Noida International Airport today, aims to ease IGI congestion
Large-scale infrastructure and facilities
The airport will have several important infrastructural facilities across 11,742.45 acres of land. An 87-acre multi-modal cargo hub will be set up, along with a cargo terminal, warehouses, and a logistics area. Additionally, around 30 acres have been earmarked for domestic, international, and express courier terminals. Furthermore, a 40-acre maintenance, repair, and operation hub will also be set up within the airport, thus becoming the first airport in India to have an in-house MRO facility.
Runway and aviation capabilities
The airport will have a 3,900-meter runway that will be able to accommodate wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777-300ER. The airport will also have advanced navigational aids like the Instrument Landing System. In addition, the airport will have advanced airfield lighting systems.
Also Read | No Elon Musk on call, MEA clarifies Modi–Trump conversation on West Asia
Focus on sustainability
The aspect of sustainability has been incorporated in the design of the airport. This is evident in the fact that the airport is designed to incorporate the use of natural light and ventilation, rainwater harvesting systems, and the adoption of renewable forms of energy. This is in line with achieving net-zero emissions.
Boost to connectivity and economy
Officials have highlighted that the airport is also expected to improve connectivity within the NCR region and contribute to economic development. Given the scale and the facilities to be provided at the airport, the Noida International Airport is set to become a major airport in the country.
