Maintaining that the newly-inaugurated Noida International Airport at Jewar would place Uttar Pardesh on the global aviation map, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the airport would act as a “launchpad” for the state’s economic growth, boosting investment, trade and employment.
Addressing a public gathering during the inauguration ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Adityanath congratulated him for taking the state’s aviation sector to “new heights”.
He said that despite global instability and rising fuel prices in many countries, India has managed to maintain stable petroleum prices and uninterrupted supply due to the PM’s “visionary leadership”.
“There is an atmosphere of chaos and uncertainty across the world, and the rates of petroleum products are skyrocketing, even in developed countries like the USA. In India, however, fuel supply is smooth and the prices are under control. In the countries neighbouring India, the fuel prices are now sky high even as they have reduced the working hours and halted production (at their industrial units),” the CM said.
Adityanath said that in the last 11-12 years, the Centre has “taken steps to make New India a developed India in every sector”. “The Noida International Airport is part of the same initiative. This new airport will place Uttar Pradesh firmly on the global aviation map and represents a new chapter of development,” he added.
Taking a swipe at previous governments of Congress and the Samajwadi Party, Adityanath alleged that Uttar Pradesh had long suffered due to “policy paralysis and misgovernance”, but had now emerged as a “breakthrough state” under the double-engine government over the past few years.
“From 2002 to 2017, Uttar Pradesh faced that kind of humiliation. However, under the Prime Minister’s guidance, and after the double engine government came to power, Uttar Pradesh in last nine years has gained momentum and is presenting a new identity of bottleneck to breakthrough. This runway will not only serve as the foundation for taking Uttar Pradesh’s economy to new heights, but also as the launch pad for the state’s bright future,” he said.
“The airport will make UP a centre of global connectivity, and will connect Yamuna Expressway, upcoming Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Ganga Expressway, RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) and take UP to new heights of development. It will also create employment opportunities for lakhs of youths,” the CM added.
Adityanath said that with the creation of an integrated cargo hub, UP will move from being a landlocked state to a “landmark state”. “The inherent potential of Uttar Pradesh will now reach new heights with this airport and the ecosystem being developed around it,” he added.
The CM thanked the farmers of Jewar for giving up 13,000 acres of land for the airport. He said that while there were initial protests during the land acquisition process, continuous dialogue and timely compensation and rehabilitation helped bring farmers on board.
Highlighting future expansion plans, the CM said, “We are beginning with one runway now and will soon have a second… A few years later, five more runways will be added and the airport will establish itself as a major global aviation hub,” he said.
The CM added that groundwork has already begun for a semiconductor manufacturing unit near the airport, along with plans for multiple industrial clusters, including apparel parks, medical device parks, toy parks, MSME parks and handicraft hubs. He said data centre units are also being set up, and plans for a “fintech city” are underway, creating a favourable ecosystem for investors across NCR.
Adityanath said that the airport is being developed as a seamless, smart and sustainable aviation hub, with facilities such as cargo hubs, aviation fuel farms, in-flight kitchens, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurate Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna) 
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