Jewar international airport golden opportunity for western UP: Modi
GREATERNOIDA: The Noida International Greenfield Airport, scheduled to come up at Jewar, will be a golden opportunity for the people of western Uttar Pradesh in times to come, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Greater Noida on Saturday. “When Jewar area starts air connectivity, people in this region will not have to travel to Delhi to take flights. The Jewar airport will bring a golden opportunity of development in western UP,” Modi said at the inauguration event of the newlybuilt Archaeology Institute ground in the city.
The PM was supposed to lay the foundation of the new airport on Saturday. All the necessary formalities and approvals had been completed for the country’s largest airport project, to come up on an area of 5,000 hectares. However, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration could not acquire the land meant for the airport project on time due to pending cases in the high court.
“The PM could not lay the foundation stone because the administration is yet to acquire land for the project. The work of land acquisition will begin soon and we will be able to start work on the ground,” Dhirendra Singh, Member of Legislative assembly from Jewar area, said.
According to a district official, not authorised to speak to the media, “The Prime Minister could not lay the foundation stone for the Jewar airport project despite all clearances being in place some farmers had refused to give their agricultural land and approached the Allahabad High Court for the same. The matter is pending in court.”
Modi said his government has acted to provide air connectivity to tier-II and III cities so that these cities see faster development.
“In the next few weeks, Bareilly will also start enjoying air connectivity as work on the terminal and other required infrastructure is underway. We have started air connectivity on 120 new routes because air connectivity means development in that region. When an area receives Metro and air connectivity and improvement in road transport faculties, doing business becomes easy,” Modi said.
“We have focused on all round development and also immensely improved the electricity infrastructure, that is required to develop better air connectivity,” the PM added.
Modi said if air connectivity is improved in Jewar, it will create opportunities for the youth in the area as development will take place. “Airport connectivity will help businesses grow and create jobs,” he said.
According to the draft technoeconomic feasibility report for the Jewar airport, the airport will commence operations with nine domestic and six international flights in 2023-24.