Plan to make Noida Airport transit hub to Asia-Pacific countries

NIAL wrote to the ministry of civil aviation for permission to develop Noida Airport into a transit hub Zurich International AG to communicate with Vistara, Air Asia and Air India in this regard

The Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) said on Thursday that it has decided to develop Noida International Greenfield Airport, currently under construction in Jewar, into a transit hub for international airlines travelling to Asia-Pacific countries such as Japan, Australia and Singapore.

The Jewar Airport consturction site in Greater Noida in September 2022. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

“Today, we wrote to the ministry of civil aviation for permission to develop Noida Airport into a transit hub and we have also engaged Zurich International AG in this task. If Noida Airport becomes a transit hub, it will attract more traffic. All international airlines choose their transit hub where flights halt for hours before they take off to another country. Dubai is the transit hub for Emirates (airline) and Frankfurt is the transit hub for Lufthansa. Like them, we want Noida Airport in Jewar to become a transit hub because international passengers positively impact business,” said Arun Vir Singh chief executive officer of NIAL.

NIAL, a special purpose vehicle of the Uttar Pradesh government, is developing the airport project along with a Switzerland company, Zurich Airport International AG.

“We have asked Zurich International AG to communicate with Vistara, Air Asia and Air India so they can make Noida Airport their transit hub. This will not only benefit passengers but also boost commercial business in Jewar. The airport will become operational on September 29, 2024,” said Singh.

So far, Zurich International AG has completed 26% work on the project, said officials. It is developing one runway, one terminal building and other required infrastructure on 1,334 hectares of land in Jewar.

Meanwhile, land acquisition of 1,363.45 hectares for the second phase of the airport project is underway. The administration has also begun paper formalities to begin land acquisition of 2,000 hectares for the third and fourth phases of the project, said officials.