"Noida Airport's Runway and ATC Tower Set to Be Completed Next Month, Informs Centre"

Ahead of a crucial infrastructure review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on November 29, Zurich AG's subsidiary YIAPL, the concessionaire for the Noida International Airport, has assured officials from the civil aviation ministry that the airport's runway and air traffic control (ATC) tower will be operational by next month. Furthermore, the terminal building is expected to be completed by May 2024, aligning with the planned timeline.

In an online meeting led by ministry secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam on Friday, officials confirmed that the construction progress was on schedule, and there would be no deviation from the initially set deadline of September 29, 2024, for the first phase of the airport's operational commencement.

The meeting, attended by additional chief secretary of the civil aviation department SP Goyal, civil aviation director Kumar Harsh, YIAPL CEO Christoph Schelnmenn, and NIAL chief Arun Vir Singh, discussed the operational aspects of the airport. The initial phase aims to facilitate up to 65 daily flights, with the majority operating on domestic routes, two catering to international destinations, and one dedicated to cargo.

Noida International Airport Ltd (NIAL), overseeing the project on behalf of the government, assured that approach roads would be ready prior to the operational launch. An elevated road connecting the Yamuna Expressway with the airport and a 31km speedway linking Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Haryana's Ballabhgarh with the Yamuna Expressway are expected to be completed by April next year, according to the National Highways Authority of India.

NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh stated that the construction work on the project has reached the halfway mark, with approximately 7,700 workers currently engaged in the undertaking.

The ATC tower is anticipated to be handed over to the Airports Authority of India this month, with equipment installation scheduled to follow. The airport surveillance radar (ASR) is expected to be operational by December next year, three months after the airport's launch.

Additionally, officials are in the process of acquiring land for a road leading to the cargo operations section of the airport. As part of the broader project, a rehabilitation and rescue center for animals and birds displaced by the airport will be constructed on 10 hectares, with work set to commence upon the arrival of funds. The installation of two ranney wells, each with a capacity of four million liters per day, is also planned to supply water to the airport.

ET