Noida International Airport is set to miss yet another launch deadline, its third so far, with terminal building construction still incomplete. The May 15 date, set by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the start of domestic operations, now appears unfeasible, according to officials.
The airport is unlikely to open within the next two months, putting the project over a year behind its original schedule, according to a report by The Times of India.
The airport’s initial inauguration was targeted for September 29, 2024, then revised to April 17, 2025. A fresh schedule was drawn up with May 15 set for domestic operations and June 25 for international services. But as work drags on, the Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh per day on concessionaire Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) from January 1 onward.
On Tuesday, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh inspected the airport site in Jewar, meeting officials from YIAPL, Tata Projects Limited, and Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), according to the TOI report. He will chair a stakeholder meeting to establish new timelines and has been tasked with submitting a full status report within 15 days.
What is leading to the delay?
The project’s physical progress stood at 80% as of March 10. While the runway and other airside infrastructure had reached 90% completion and were expected to be ready by April, the terminal building lagged behind, with roofing and internal work still ongoing.
Water and sewage treatment plants are only 40% complete, while commissioning of the CNS/ATM systems by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was delayed to April 30.
Another major hurdle is regulatory clearance. The aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) remains pending. In a review meeting held on March 5, the AAI stated that only limited Air Traffic Control (ATC) functionality could be demonstrated for DGCA inspection post-April 30.
Simultaneously, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) raised concerns after reviewing safety documents such as the bomb threat contingency plan and the airport security programme. It said it would require at least 45 days post-compliance to grant security clearance. Any partial terminal opening would also need a structural stability certificate.
In the same DGCA meeting, YIAPL was asked to present detailed operational plans, factoring in the incomplete status of the cargo apron and terminal. The DGCA laid out three operational options: start cargo-only operations by May 15, partially open for passenger services using a completed terminal section, or wait until full Phase 1 readiness.
