The under-construction Noida International Airport at Jewar
| Photo Credit:
Aniket Singh Chauhan
India’s civil aviation safety watchdog has commenced inspection of the Noida International Airport for grant of regulatory clearance required to start commercial flight operations, according to sources.
“Inspections by DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and BCAS (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security) have commenced. The terminal facade is now at an advanced stage of completion, with some roofing work still remaining to be completed,” sources told businessline.
The development assumes significance since the project has already missed two earlier deadlines. According to sources, the DGCA inspection will include reviewing the airport’s infrastructure readiness, along with established procedures before issuing the aerodrome licence.
A BCAS inspection is required for anti-sabotage checks and for checking the required apparatus for anti-hijacking as well as bomb squad operations.
“Once the airport gets a regulatory grant of an aerodrome licence. Then, it will take another three months to start operations. However, the final date will depend on the grant of DGCA and BCAS’s approvals,” said sources.
Initially, only domestic operations might start, followed by international flights. Earlier, an NIA official had told businessline that the airport continues to progress steadily towards operational readiness.
“We expect to receive our aerodrome license by mid-May. The Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), which was issued in March, is also expected to become effective as of mid-May. Following this, the start of operations will be planned in coordination with airlines and other partners,” the official had said.
In technical parlance, the AIP is a manual for pilots and aircrew that contains thorough details of regulations, procedures, and information regarding navigation and airspace that are required for operating to and from a given airport.
Besides, the Air Control Tower (ATC) became operational in April. The airport missed its completion deadline two times, once scheduled at the end of 2024 and the other one in April, due to sourcing constraints of materials like structural steel and roofing work.
The Noida International Airport is expected to handle 5-6 million passengers in its maiden year of commercial operation.
In its first phase of development, the airport with one runway and one terminal, will have a capacity to handle traffic of 12 million passengers annually. After the completion of the fourth phase, the airport will have the capacity to manage 70 million passengers per year.
first carrier
Airline major IndiGo is expected to be the first passenger carrier to start services from the airport. The airline had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NIA.
Many foreign carriers have also shown interest in starting operations at the airport once it gets operational.
Published on May 26, 2025