The under-construction Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar in Western Uttar Pradesh has been hit by construction delays and is expected to start commercial operations only by the end of April next year, instead of the planned operationalisation by the end of 2024. Delays in delivery of certain construction material and equipment due to global supply chain constraints precipitated by geopolitical conflict are to blame, according to the NIA.
The first phase of the airport was set to be operational from September 29, 2024.
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“In view of the current construction status, we expect to begin commercial operations by the end of April 2025. We are working together with our EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contractor Tata Projects Limited and with other stakeholders to keep the pace of construction activities and preparations for operational readiness high,” NIA said in a statement Monday.
The Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), the implementing agency on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, said it will seek an explanation from the developer regarding the timeline extension.
Dr Arun Vir Singh, CEO of NIAL, said the decision has been taken unilaterally.
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“A notice is being issued to the developer seeking an explanation on why the project has been delayed and on what basis the completion period has been extended. We were not informed of this new development. Although there is a 90-day grace period in the agreement, this can be granted only under certain conditions. It can only be approved by the Cabinet. YIAPL’s response will be forwarded to the government for further necessary action,” said Singh.
The airport, a marquee project for the Uttar Pradesh government, is being developed by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG. YIAPL is also the operator of the airport over a 40-year concession period that started on October 1, 2021.
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CEO Singh also said the layout of the Airport Hotel and Cargo Hub has not been shared with NIAL. “Construction on both projects has started, but the layout plan has not been shared. A letter is being sent to YIAPL in this regard as well,” he added.
Sources in the know said problems with procurement of special-grade steel required for completing the construction of the airport’s terminal building are among the reasons for the shift in project execution timelines. Import of the special-grade steel for the project has been hit due to a shortage in the international market, according to sources.
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“This is a large and complex project, and the next few weeks of construction activities are crucial. Work on the runway, the passenger terminal and the control tower is well advanced. Recently, the concessions for ground handling, the operation of commercial areas and important maintenance contracts were awarded. In addition, agreements have been signed with several airlines for flight connections from Noida International Airport,” the NIA said.
The first phase of the NIA with one runway and one terminal will have the capacity to handle traffic of 1.2 crore passengers annually, with the potential for further development in additional construction phases. Eventually, after the completion of the fourth phase, the airport will have the capacity to manage 70 million passengers per year.
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The NIA will connect the greater Delhi area and Western Uttar Pradesh with flights and will serve as the second airport in the NCR besides Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is India’s largest airport. Given India’s rapidly rising air traffic, the IGIA is likely to be saturated in a few years. The NIA is expected to complement the IGIA in servicing demand from the region.
The NIA is one of the two under-construction greenfield airports — the other being the Navi Mumbai airport — that will serve as second airports for major metropolitan cities and their adjoining areas. The Navi Mumbai airport is expected to commence operations by March-end next year.
