Noida airport faces construction delays, flight launch now by April 2025

Noida International Airport, which planned to start flight operations by the end of 2024, is facing construction delays and now expects to launch services by April 2025, it said in a statement on Monday.

The construction work—on the runway, passenger terminal and the control tower—is at an advanced stage and the next few weeks will be crucial, the statement added.

“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 Ltd and with other stakeholders to keep the pace of construction activities and preparations for operational readiness high,” the airport said in the statement.

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The airport has also awarded concessions for ground handling, operation of commercial areas and important maintenance contracts, it said.

In the first phase, the airport is expected to handle 12 million passengers manage 96,400 flights every year.

A major transition hub

The Noida International Airport is coming up across 1,334 hectares at Jewar Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddha Nagar. It is about 72 kilometres from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, 52 km from Noida and 130 km from Agra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone fo the Noida airport in November 2021.

The airport, modelled on Switzerland's Zurich Airport, is being built by Zurich Airport International AG.

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Zurich Airport currently manages 10 airports worldwide, including Zurich in Switzerland, Noida International Airport in India, and eight in Latin America.

The company has taken a close interest in Indian aviation in the past as well. It held a 17% stake in the Bengaluru airport in 1999 under a Siemens-led consortium. Gradually, it reduced its stake in the airport and exited by selling the remaining 5% in Bengaluru International Airport Ltd to Prem Watsa’s Fairfax in 2016.

The concession period for Jewar airport commenced on 1 October 2021 and will run for 40 years. While it has entered partnerships with multiple airlines, low-cost carrier IndiGo will be the airport's launch carrier.