The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved the aerodrome license for Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, according to PTI.
The airport is being developed by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with the Uttar Pradesh government and the Union government of India.
In a release on Friday, the civil aviation ministry said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted the aerodrome license to YIAPL for the Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
The 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,” the release said.
Shailendra Bhatia, nodal officer of Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), confirmed that the aerodrome license has been issued in line with civil aviation regulations for domestic flights and cargo operations. He added that the remaining operational and deployment arrangements at the airport are expected to be completed within the next 45 days, and that the airport infrastructure is now fully ready, PTI reported.
Officials said the airport will be formally inaugurated by Narendra Modi at a future date.
The greenfield airport, being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, is projected to become one of the largest airports in India once fully operational.
The first phase of the project, covering 1,300 hectares with one runway and one terminal building, is designed to handle 1.2 crore passengers annually. Passenger services were initially scheduled to begin in September 2024.
According to a statement issued by the airport, the license, issued under Rule 78 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, certifies that the airport meets all regulatory requirements related to operational procedures, safety systems, infrastructure, navigation aids, and emergency response as mandated by DGCA’s civil aviation requirements, PTI reported.
“This development follows the recent approval from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which granted final security vetting for domestic passenger operations as well as domestic and international cargo operations. Together, these regulatory approvals represent significant progress in the airport’s readiness to commence operations,” it stated.
It said that the airport’s Aerodrome Security Program (ASP) is currently under review with the BCAS.
Preparations under the airport’s Operational Readiness Activation and Transition (ORAT) program are continuing to ensure systems, processes, and personnel are fully prepared for a safe and seamless launch, it added.
While the aerodrome license confirms that NIA’s airside infrastructure, flight operations processes, and safety systems compliance, the start of commercial operations will be finalized after approval of the Aerodrome Security Program by BCAS, the airport said.
“We look forward to receiving this approval in due course, following which airline schedules, ticket sales, and the formal inauguration will be announced closer to the launch of operations,” it added.
(With inputs from agencies)
