Will deploy more workers to ready Noida airport as per set timeline, says NIA chief

At least 5,000 workers will be deployed soon at the Jewar site to fast-track the work on Noida international greenfield airport so that phase one of the project gets completed within the prescribed timelines, said Christoph Schnellmann, chief executive officer of the Noida international airport, on Thursday

At least 5,000 workers will be deployed soon at the Jewar site to fast-track the work on Noida international greenfield airport so that phase one of the project gets completed within the prescribed timelines, said Christoph Schnellmann, chief executive officer of the Noida international airport, on Thursday.

Greater Noida, India - December 17, 2020: A signboard points towards the Noida International Jewar Airport, in Greater Noida, India on Thursday, December 17, 2020. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday gave his approval to the name and design of Jewar airport. The name was finalized during a meeting with the Swiss company- Zurich AG officials in Lucknow. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh / Hindustan Times) **To go with Vinod Rajput's story**

Briefing the media about the progress of work on the airport, Schnellmann said the work is currently going on as per schedule and the airport will become functional by the end-2024.

Currently, 1,300 workers along with machines are engaged in constructing a runway, passenger terminal, parking bay, sewage treatment plant, roads, green space, and other required infrastructure at the Jewar site, he said, without disclosing how much work, in terms of percentage, has been completed at the site.

“The work at the site is going on as per our timelines. Currently 1,300 workers are engaged in work at the site. During the peak construction phase in 2023, we will deploy 5,000 workers to complete the work as per the schedule,” said Schnellmann.

Once completed, phase one the airport will cater to 12 million passengers annually and by phase 4, the airport is expected to cater to 70 million passengers a year. It will start with one runway and witness about 100,000 air traffic movements per year, said officials. The runway length will be 3,900 metres with 28 aircraft bays. The passenger terminal will be spacious -- about 100,000 square metres -- to accommodate passengers, said officials.

The airport will also enjoy the multimodal connectivity with road, Metro and high speed Metro. The Uttar Pradesh government and the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority are already working on different projects so that by the time the airport gets ready, these mass transit projects are also finished and passengers get to enjoy seamless connectivity.

“The detailed project report of the Metro project (till the airport site) has already been approved and the government is working on all these projects,” said Schnellmann.

Phase one of the airport is spread over 1,334 hectares and work on the boundary wall has been already completed. The Gautam Budh Nagar administration will soon start acquiring 1,185 hectares more for the second phase of the project.