PM Modi Inaugurates Noida International Airport Phase

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, on March 28, marking a key infrastructure milestone after more than two decades of planning and delays. The event drew a large crowd, but reports emerged of educational institutions arranging student attendance with incentives, prompting questions about participation.

The airport, developed under a public-private partnership with Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, spans an investment of about 11,200 crore rupees. Its initial phase includes a 3,900-meter runway capable of handling widebody aircraft, a terminal covering 137,985 square meters with 48 check-in counters, and capacity for 12 million passengers annually and 2.5 lakh tons of cargo. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that commercial operations would begin within 45 to 60 days, with IndiGo expressing interest in launching flights. Security arrangements are underway, and the facility features modern navigation systems like the Instrument Landing System.

Allegations surfaced that authorities encouraged attendance through colleges in the Noida...