Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the first phase of Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh’s Jewar on Saturday. The airport will be the main international hub for major cities in the state, including Noida, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Mathura and Agra, as well as the entry point for several religious and tourist sites.
Noida Airport has been developed as the second international airport for the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), supporting the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi. Both airports are expected to help reduce congestion, increase passenger capacity and enhance Delhi-NCR’s position among major global aviation hubs, according to an official statement.
Follow live updates on the opening of Noida Airport here.
Inside Noida International Airport
Before the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi posted several pictures of the airport on Friday. The airport is expected to handle 12 million passengers annually in the initial phase. Once completed, its capacity could reach 70 million passengers each year.
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Take a look at some pictures:
Everything you need to know about Noida Airport
The airport features a 3,900-meter runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300ER. It is also equipped with modern navigation systems, including an automated landing system, and advanced airport lighting to support smooth operations in all weather conditions, at any time of the day.
Officials said the airport is planned to be a multimodal transportation hub linking road, rail, metro and regional transportation networks. This is expected to reduce travel time and reduce logistics costs.
In addition, the airport authorities said that the design of the terminal takes ideas from Indian heritage. It includes features inspired by the ghats of Varanasi and Haridwar, haveli-style structures with courtyards, and the use of local materials, art and mesh screens.
The airport also includes environmentally friendly features such as natural light, ventilation, rainwater harvesting and plans to use renewable energy, in line with the goal of reducing emissions to zero.
The first phase of the project has been built at an estimated cost of around Rs 11,200 crore under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The government said it is one of the largest new airport projects in the country.
The airport’s catchment area is based on a free travel time of 120 minutes. It covers Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar and parts of Meerut, Sonipat, Jhajjar and Rewari.
