Ghaziabad: 6.8 hectares land identified for Hindon civil airport expansion plan

Earlier this year, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) proposed expanding the terminal and sought around nine hectares from the district administration

Ghaziabad The Ghaziabad district administration has earmarked about 6.8 hectares of land in Sikandarpur near the Hindon civil airport for its expansion, paving the way for a larger terminal and improved flight operations. Officials said the land will be procured directly from farmers under the government’s direct purchase policy.

AAI officials said the Hindon airport handles around 5,000–6,000 passengers daily but has only two parking bays for aircraft, causing backlog when flights overlap or get delayed. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The Hindon civil terminal, operational since October 2019, currently caters to passengers from Ghaziabad, Delhi, Gautam Budh Nagar, and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh. It connects to major cities including Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Goa, Jammu, Varanasi, Patna, Ahmedabad, and Indore, among others.

Earlier this year, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) proposed expanding the terminal and sought around nine hectares from the district administration.

“Their initial requirement was about 8.4 hectares. But our survey revealed some abadi land with residential structures. The AAI then revised its plan to 6.8 hectares, which was cleared after another on-field survey,” said Vivek Mishra, additional district magistrate (land acquisition). “We will now proceed with direct purchase from landowners.”

Since the identified land falls under an urban area, officials said farmers will be compensated at twice the prevailing circle rate. “We’ve already received consent from 37 of 40 farmers. Our teams are working to obtain the remaining approvals within a week, after which we will submit the final report to the state government for funds and approval,” Mishra added.

AAI officials said the Hindon airport handles around 5,000–6,000 passengers daily but has only two parking bays for aircraft, causing backlog when flights overlap or get delayed. The expansion will allow for additional parking bays and smoother operations.

The airport currently caters to 80-seater, 20-seater, and even 186-seater aircraft to various destinations, said officials.

The airport currently accommodates 20-seater, 80-seater, and 186-seater aircraft on its existing routes. Ghaziabad MP and airport advisory committee chairperson Atul Garg said the expansion would also make room for new destinations.

“The airport currently operates about 22 flights with an average occupancy of 92%. Once the expansion is completed, I expect it to handle up to 35 flights,” Garg said, adding that he had requested AAI to start flights to Lucknow and Prayagraj during a review meeting on September 24.