Infrastructure
Ankit Saxena
May 17, 2023, 05:03 PM | Updated 05:07 PM IST
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The forthcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar is set to feature an aerocity aimed to enhance its revenue share.
Planned to come up in 172 acres — it will incorporate amenities such as hotels, eateries, pubs, retail outlets, and leisure facilities, akin to those found at airports in Delhi and Hyderabad.
The Aerocity is expected to become operational by the end of 2024 with the completion of the first phase, according to Noida Airport’s chief executive officer, Christoph Schnellmann.
Schnellmann said, "The concessions for commercial spaces like restaurants, shops and hotels within the terminal area will be given out in the next nine months."
Airport developers are increasingly embracing the notion of an aerocity due to its financial advantages.
An aerocity allows the operator to retain all the earnings without the need for profit sharing with a joint venture partner — unlike Delhi or Hyderabad airports, where the Airport Authority of India holds a minority partnership and shares revenue with the operator, reports Times Property.
The Hyderabad Aerocity is currently the largest — spread over 1,500 acres, followed by Delhi — built on 200 acres.
Phase-Wise Development Of Noida Airport
In 2019, the concession for airport development and operations was granted to Zurich Airport International AG, a Switzerland-based company. The project is being executed by their subsidiary, Yamuna International Airport (YIAPL).
Tata Projects, which is the contractor for the project has completed the earthwork, levelling, and excavation work across the project site.
The work on the first phase of the Noida International Airport is progressing on time and will start functioning by 2024-end, according to Schnellman.
Work has now moved to vertical construction and building of substructures.
Over the next few months, multiple buildings will be seen on the site, including the passenger terminal building, office blocks, sewage and water treatment plants, and electrical substations.
With the completion of the first phase spread over 1,334 hectares, the airport will have one runway, one passenger terminal building, air traffic control tower to handle around 12 million passengers per year.
As per a recent announcement made by the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister, Suresh Khanna, while presenting the state budget for fiscal year 2023-24, the airport will have a total of five runways instead of the initial proposal of two.
The airport, billed to be India's largest upon completion, is being developed in four phases — with two interconnected terminals and an annual passenger capacity of 70 million.
The first expansion of the airport, construction of the second runway and the terminal building, will start once it reaches 80 per cent of the 12 million passengers per year capacity.
Similarly, the development of the third, fourth and fifth runways will begin when footfall increases from 12 million to 30 million, 50 million and 70 million.