Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh today commenced commercial flight operations, marking a significant milestone in the country’s civil aviation sector.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said that the airport will have the capacity to handle 1.2 crore passengers annually in first phase and the capacity is expected to exceed 7 crore annually after its completion.
He said the airport will serve as a hub for both domestic and international operations. He said that the airport is a result of the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen connectivity and develop world-class aviation infrastructure across the country.
He said the project has been implemented under the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He said the inaugural commercial flight carried farmers who had donated land for the project as a gesture of gratitude and recognition of their contribution.
Highlighting the growth of the aviation sector, the Minister said the number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 165 at present. He added that investments exceeding one lakh forty thousand crore rupees have been made in airport infrastructure over the past decade.
Talking to the media about the concerns regarding delays in the Ahmedabad plane crash investigation, the minister said that the investigation is being conducted with utmost seriousness and in accordance with established procedures. He said that complex aviation accident probes often require considerable time, depending on the nature and circumstances of the incident.
A Group of 170 farmers who gave their land for the airport, led by Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh along with others boarded the first commercial flight from Noida International Airport, Jewar to Lucknow. Noida International Airport is expected to strengthen India’s aviation infrastructure and enhance regional and global connectivity.