NCR transport body plans to connect Jewar and IGI airports

GREATER NOIDA: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), in its 62nd board meeting on Tuesday, decided to appoint National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to prepare a feasibility report on additional connectivity between proposed international airport at Jewar and the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

“We have taken an in-principle decision to appoint NCRTC to conduct a feasibility study on the mode of transport that could connect international airport at Jewar with IGI airport in Delhi. NCRTC is also working on highspeed Metro projects between Delhi and Meerut, Delhi to Alwar in Rajasthan and Delhi to Rewari in Haryana. The NCRTC study could guide us on the mode of connectivity,” said Prabhat Kumar, chairman of the YEIDA.

Meanwhile, Union civil aviation secretary Rajeev Nayan Choubey, along with members from the Airport Authority of India and other top officials, is scheduled to review the progress of proposed international airport at Jewar along 165 km Yamuna Expressway on Tuesday. The high-level team led by Choubey will also inspect the proposed airport site along Yamuna Expressway.

NCRTC — a joint sector company of Government of India and states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — is mandated for implementing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project across NCR, ensuring a balanced and sustainable urban development through better connectivity and access, said officials.

The ministry of urban development (MOUD), had in April 2016, wanted the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments to work together to construct a dedicated 52.9-km high-speed Metro link between Greater Noida’s Bodaki and IGI airport. It had asked the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) to work on this project.

In June 2014, the GNIDA decided to conduct a feasibility study of the high-speed Metro link. The study, which was submitted to the MOUD, concluded that the project was feasible. After studying the feasibility report, the MOUD had in 2016 called a meeting with the officials from Greater Noida, Delhi government and Delhi-mumbai Industrial Corridor on April 5. However, the project did not witness much progress since then.