Residents of NOIDA and nearby regions have for long-awaited eagerly for an international airport in their vicinity. Successive governments have shown different view points over the same.
But the new government in Uttar Pradesh has shown very positive signs of developing this greenfield airport. With the same political party dominating the state and central governments, it is likely that the project will now pick up speed. The land required for the project has already been notified by the local development authority.
Here is a recap of what’s happening with the project –
2001 – The then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and current Home Minister of India, Rajnath Singh proposed an aviation hub in Jewar, NOIDA. Incidentally, his son has now recently been elected to the U.P. Assembly from NOIDA.
2010 – The project was again revived after a long limbo. Bahujan Samaj Party’s supremo and then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati showed a keen interest in reviving the project.
2012 – The central government, then led by Dr. Manmohan Singh held that the airport cannot come up citing the rule which disallows airport within 150 k.m.s of another airport. The New Delhi Airport falls under the 150 K.m. radius.
2013 – The state governments moots the idea to shift the airport site to Agra which would be about 200 K.m. from New Delhi Airport. Hence the 150 k.m. rule won’t apply.
2014 – With the NDA storming to power in the Capital, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the local parliamentarian from the ruling party renews demand for the Jewar airport.
2015 – The state government under Akhilesh Yadav, commits to the project. Yamuna Expressway Industrial Authority reserves five thousand acres land for the aviation hub, notifying two thousand acres in the first phase.
Sept. 2016 – Defense ministry issues a no- objection certificate for an airport at Jewar.
2017 – A change of government in U.P. has once again kindled hopes for the project getting fast tracked.
