DGCA grants aerodrome license for Noida Airport
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted the Aerodrome License to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) for the Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
The development was confirmed by Rakesh Kumar Singh, the chief executive officer of Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) and the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority.
The Minister of Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, congratulated the Government of Uttar Pradesh, stating that the development of Noida International Airport is a major step toward strengthening aviation connectivity for the National Capital Region and Western Uttar Pradesh. He highlighted that the world-class airport will boost regional economic growth, tourism, and investment while offering a seamless passenger experience by combining Swiss efficiency with Indian hospitality and will also help ease congestion at existing airports in the region. The airport has been developed by YIAPL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India. The concession period commenced on 1 October 2021 for a period of 40 years. Nodal officer of NIAL, Shailendra Bhatia, said the aerodrome licence has been issued in accordance with civil aviation rules for domestic flights and cargo operations.
The airport has been licensed under the Public Use category for all-weather operations. It features 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.
Noida International Airport is being developed in four phases along with a multi-modal cargo hub. In the first phase, with one runway and one terminal, the airport will have the capacity to handle around 12 million passengers annually. Upon completion of all phases, the airport will be capable of handling up to 70 million passengers per year, emerging as a major aviation hub for the National Capital Region and Western Uttar Pradesh.
The development of Noida International Airport is part of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s broader vision of building a robust aviation ecosystem. Over the past decade, India’s civil aviation sector has expanded significantly, with the number of operational airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 164 today, alongside India becoming the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world. India is rapidly expanding its aviation network through a balanced approach of developing new greenfield airports while upgrading existing brownfield airports and regional airstrips, supported by initiatives such as the UDAN scheme. Looking ahead, the country’s long-term roadmap aims to develop over 400 airports by 2047, further strengthening connectivity, economic growth and national integration.
The greenfield airport being developed in a PPP model in Jewar in Gautam Buddh Nagar is expected to become one of the largest airports in the country once fully operational.
The first phase of the project, spread over 1,300 hectares with one runway and one terminal building, is slated to handle 1.2 crore passengers annually, officials said. The airport was originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024.
