Airport authority starts work on terminal facilities at Hindon airbase

The terminal at Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad is coming up under the Udey Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN), which is part of the National Civil Aviation Policy that was announced in 2016, to make air travel affordable and widespread.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started construction of the terminal facilities required for the operation of regional flights from the Hindon airbase, officials of Ghaziabad district administration on Monday.

The AAI will operate regional flights from the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad in order to decongest the Delhi airport. (Sakib Ali / HT File Photo)

Officials said the construction work began on Monday on the land parcel in Sikandarpur which had been taken on lease from the owner farmers. The terminal is coming up under the Udey Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN), which is part of the National Civil Aviation Policy that was announced in 2016, to make air travel affordable and widespread. A first-of-its-kind initiative, it is aimed at “stimulating” regional connectivity in the country through a “market-based mechanism.”

Earlier, in March this year the Uttar Pradesh government had given the go-ahead for development of facilities to operate regional flights from Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad, under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS), to decongest the Delhi airport.

The passenger movement will be managed at the terminal building while the airbase will allow the use of its runways only.

The officials said that nearly 22,050 square metres of land was required to construct terminal facilities. “We are yet to get the entire land on lease from farmers. Two families who own part of the land required are also yet to execute the lease deeds. They reside in the United States and are finding it not economical to come to India for signing the lease deeds. We will find some other ways to get the lease deeds finalised,” said Sunil Kumar, additional district magistrate (finance).

“AAI officials have set up their work cabins at the site and started digging with the help of earthmoving machines,” Kumar said, explaining the progress of work.

Of the total land, nearly 18,000 sq m belongs to the joint family of Samajwadi Party leader Abhishek Garg. Of the six lease deeds to be executed by his family for this land, they have executed four so far.

“Our four lease deeds have given nearly 11,500 sq m of land. The two remaining lease deeds will be done by two other families. They are in touch with the administration officials,” Garg said.

The operation of regional flights from the airbase is expected to provide relief to the Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The UP government and AAI have already signed an MoU for the project and also agreed upon the land lease rates at the annual rate of Rs 200 per sq m. For the purpose, the UP agencies were tasked to get land for development of infrastructure facilities for the project.

The terminal facilities will be developed by AAI while the Uttar Pradesh agencies are tasked by the state government to develop connecting roads and provide electricity for the project.