GREATER NOIDA: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday extended the term of the chief executive officer (CEO) of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), Arun Vir Singh, for a year. Singh is also the CEO of the Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) that is developing the airport at Jewar.
The retired IAS officer’s term was extended due to his long association with the airport project, which the government wants to start work on at the earliest after the Covid-19 pandemic is over, sources said.
In June 2019 after superannuation from the Uttar Pradesh government, former IAS officer Arun Vir Singh had got a year’s extension as CEO of YEIDA. The government had given him a year’s extension as he was involved with the airport project since the beginning and his expertise in the project can help in the timely execution of the Noida International Greenfield Airport scheduled to come up at Jewar along the 165km Yamuna Expressway.
However, work at the site could not be started due to the nationwide lockdown imposed from March 25 in light of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The foundation of the airport was to be laid down in April this year but the event was put off, said officials. Now, the UP government has given him another year’s extension in the hopes that he can get the work expedited for not only the airport but for infrastructure projects proposed along the expressway as well.
“The work had got affected due to the coronavirus crisis. Our priority is to first start the work of the airport at the site as and when restrictions on air travel are removed. We hope that the agreement signing and other formalities for the airport with the Swiss firm, selected to develop the facility, are completed on July 17, paving way for the work to begin at the site,” said Singh, CEO of Yeida and NIAL.
{{/usCountry}}“The work had got affected due to the coronavirus crisis. Our priority is to first start the work of the airport at the site as and when restrictions on air travel are removed. We hope that the agreement signing and other formalities for the airport with the Swiss firm, selected to develop the facility, are completed on July 17, paving way for the work to begin at the site,” said Singh, CEO of Yeida and NIAL.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from the airport, Singh said his priority is also to bring investment into this region.
“We want to attract more and more investment, create jobs and also develop world class infrastructure in this region. Metro, the expressway, an electronic cluster, a skill university and a mobile manufacturing hub, among other projects, will help create jobs for youth in this region. Our aim is to make that happen within a stipulated time frame,” said Singh.