UP chief secy seeks catch-up plan to finish Noida airport

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh on Wednesday pressed the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) -- the special purpose vehicle formed to construct the Noida international greenfield airport-- to complete construction of the first phase within the stipulated deadline, setting the stage for operations which are expected to begin by June 25, 2025.

During a site inspection and subsequent meeting, Singh directed officials from YIAPL, Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), and the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority to prioritise both quality and timelines. “There should be regular inspection and review of the progress, and there should not be any compromise with the quality of construction. The airport is the most important project for the state and must be completed as per the deadline fixed earlier,” he said in a press statement.

Singh toured key areas of the under-construction site, including the terminal building, air traffic control centre, cargo terminal and other critical infrastructure. However, officials did not provide specific updates on the progress of these components or confirm the final date of operations.

The airport has already missed two deadlines—September 29, 2024, and the revised target of April 25, 2025. In a high-level review meeting on March 10, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed concern over the slow progress and directed YIAPL to commence domestic flights by May 15 and international operations by June 25.

A senior official from the Yamuna Expressway Authority admitted that meeting these deadlines now appears unlikely. “It is highly unlikely that domestic flights will begin by May 15, or international flights by June 25, due to pending work at the site,” the official said.

Construction of the terminal building was 80% complete by the end of March, but critical components—including the international passenger section and navigational systems—remain unfinished. NIAL has since asked YIAPL and other stakeholders, including project contractor Tata Projects, to submit a detailed “catch-up plan” outlining revised timelines, current status, and pending approvals.

The Noida International Airport project, a greenfield development, is being implemented by YIAPL—a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG—under a 40-year concession agreement that began on October 1, 2021. The company is responsible for construction and operations in partnership with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India.

Tata Projects was awarded the construction contract in June 2022. Although a three-month grace period was granted due to pandemic-related delays, officials say consistent slippage has now triggered enforcement of penalties as per the concession agreement.

Officials say the state government remains firm on holding the concessionaire accountable. Any further delays, they warned, could impact investor confidence and derail planned connectivity upgrades, including road and rail linkages intended to position the airport as a major logistics and passenger hub in northern India.

Despite the setbacks, the airport is expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity once operational. Spread across 1,334 hectares, the project is envisioned as India’s largest airport upon full completion, with capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually in the first phase. Authorities maintain that the project will catalyse economic growth and generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.