Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took part in the Bhumi Pujan of the ‘Jewar Airport’, alongside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and kickstarted the first phase of the construction of the airport. Once completed, the airport will be India’s largest.
At the ceremony, PM Modi remarked, “I want to congratulate everyone for the bhumipujan. This region has been put on the international map. A huge benefit will come to crores of people in NCR and West UP. The new India of 21st century is working on cutting-edge technology projects. These are not just infrastructure projects, they transform the region and the lives of people,”
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1463852379657363466
A logistical gateway for the region: PM Modi
PM Modi further termed the Jewar Airport as the logistical gateway for the region which will open new avenues of development and employment.
He said, “The Noida International Airport will be the logistical gateway. The speed at which the aviation sector is rising, Noida airport will play a major role in it… It will be important for repair and maintenance as well. There will be a 40-acre space for maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) services. Nearly Rs 15,000 crore is spent on maintenance, and this revenue is gained by other countries. The airport will change this,”
For the first time in India, an airport is being conceptualized with an integrated multi-modal cargo hub. This airport will provide a new speed and 'udaan' to the entire region: Prime Minister @narendramodi #नए_यूपी_की_उड़ान pic.twitter.com/0r9VkHjLGx
— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 25, 2021
All-around connectivity to the airport
And it is indeed true as once completed, the airport will be connected with all major expressways like the Yamuna Expressway, Western peripheral Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Metro Extension from Noida to NIA and the proposed High-Speed Rail (Delhi-Varanasi) at the airport terminal will also make the connection to the airport seamless.
Therefore, apart from ensuring better connectivity for the Delhi-NCR region especially East Delhi and the neighbouring areas of Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, this airport will also cater to a number of other towns, people have to currently travel right up to the IGI Airport that is a costly and time-taking experience.
Read More: Jewar Airport Area will be the crown of Noida and the biggest industrial corridor in India
Significance of the airport
The Noida International Airport will be spread across an area of 5,000 acres and is being developed by Zurich International Airport AG at an estimated cost of Rs 29,560 crore. The first phase of the construction is expected to be completed in 2024.
2 runways will be developed in stage 1 while a third runway will be added in the later stage. A total of 5 runways are proposed in the plan. Noida, Ghaziabad and especially Western UP sit at the cusp of a developmental boom with the starting of the project as Airports play a crucial role in the development of any city and its economy.
The IGI airport of New Delhi helped Gurugram become a millennial city which now houses thousands of MNCs and contributes millions of dollars in GDP as well as tax collection of Haryana.
However, over the years, Gurugram has become incredibly congested as well as costly, and thus, companies are looking for an alternative that is cheaper than the city in Haryana but also have facilities like an airport and offer a very high standard of living.
5 international airports in UP
With the airport set to resume services from 2024, UP will have 5 international airports. Many international cities like New York and London have multiple airports
New York City has three airports, viz, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark, which cater to millions of passengers each year. New York’s LaGuardia Airport, which is located in Queens, mainly handles domestic flights.
The city’s iconic JFK Airport, which is also located in Queens, mostly handles international traffic. Newark Airport is in fact located in neighbouring New Jersey and handles both domestic and international flights. With its proximity to Manhattan, Newark serves as one of the most important airports in the world. Similarly, London has six airports.
Cities having multiple airports are a huge boost for the people of the region as it helps them in saving precious time and money while boosting productivity.
Moreover, it democratizes air travel which is the main aim of the Modi government. When the common middle and lower middle class starts taking flights with the same ease as a train, it is a sign that the country has made giant strides in the transport sector.