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New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) Ahead of the proposed inauguration of the Noida International Airport (NIA), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday inspected the terminal building and issued instructions to the officials concerned.
“#UPCM @myOgiAdityanath today inspected the development works of ‘Noida International Airport’ under construction at Jewar in Gautam Buddh Nagar district and issued necessary directions to the concerned authorities,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on Twitter.
The Chief Minister visited the terminal building and construction area along with the officials. He traveled on the escalator and held a meeting with officials in a conference room on the campus, an official said.
Noida International Airport is likely to be inaugurated on October 30, with initial flight operations expected to commence within 45 days of inauguration. In the first phase this airport will be connected to 10 cities.
The launch of the new airport will coincide with the inauguration of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) earlier this month.
With these two additional facilities, both the metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai will no longer depend on a single major airport to handle the heavy flow of passengers.
The new facilities promise to reduce congestion, offer better flight schedules and open up more direct international connections.
The development is expected to bring India’s aviation infrastructure closer to global hubs such as New York, London, Tokyo and Paris, where multiple airports serve the same cities.
The launch of NMIA and NIA marks a significant change for India’s aviation landscape, which has long been dependent on one main airport in each major city despite rapidly growing air traffic.
Goa had already set an example by becoming India’s first multi-airport city when Mopa airport opens along with the existing Dabolim airport in January 2023.
For travellers, the new airports mean more travel options and easier connectivity not just between Delhi and Mumbai but across the wider global network.
For airlines like IndiGo, Air India and Akasa, the upcoming airports will allow major capacity expansion and new route opportunities.
Industry experts believe the new airport will transform Delhi-NCR into a true global aviation hub, helping Indian carriers compete more strongly with airlines in the Middle East and Europe.
While the existing airports of Mumbai and Goa are already operating at full capacity, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport still has some scope to grow with its three terminals and four runways.
However, the launch of Noida International Airport may accelerate Delhi’s emergence as India’s largest air hub.
Goa’s recent experience shows the potential impact. Dabolim handled 84.6 lakh passengers between April 2018 and March 2019. After Mopa Airport begins operations in January 2023, the combined traffic at both airports is expected to grow to 11 million passengers in 2023-24.
Delhi and Mumbai are expected to get even bigger benefits, especially as Delhi will effectively operate three airports when the Hindon airbase, currently used for regional and low-cost flights, expands its capacity.
–IANS
RCH/UK