UP govt has directed the concessionaire of Noida International Airport to speed up work so that domestic flight operations can begin from May 15 and international flights by June 25.
The directive was issued on March 10 during a review meeting with all stakeholders where chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed unhappiness over delay in the airport’s construction work, particularly the terminal building.
The airport, as of now, is running six months behind schedule. Its original deadline was Sept 29, 2024, which was revised to April 2025. Since it’s clear the project will miss the April date, officials said the CM had told them to follow the terms of the contract agreement on delay penalties and impose the stipulated fine of Rs 10 lakh per day on concessionaire YIAPL.The penalty, which will be effective from Jan 1 – taking into account a three-month grace after the original deadline lapsed – will amount to Rs 3 crore a month.
Arun Vir Singh, CEO of Noida International Airport Ltd, the state govt’s special purpose vehicle to oversee the airport project, told TOI, “The concession agreement for the airport was signed in Oct 2020 when the right of way was provided, meaning land was officially handed over to the concessionaire. Since the appointment date was during the Covid period, the project experienced initial setbacks. Construction contract was awarded to Tata Projects in June 2022. Considering these circumstances, we allowed a grace period of three months. The daily penalty of Rs 10 lakh has been enforced and will continue till the airport becomes operational.”
NIAL has asked YIAPL for a “catch-up” plan to ensure flight operations don’t miss the third revised deadline.
The delay is mainly on account of the terminal building lagging behind its timelines. The launch of domestic and international flights has been split because the international floor will take longer to complete. Initially, the airport will begin operations with six aerobridges instead of the 10 originally planned.Singh said Tata Projects, which has the engineering contracts for the airport, has attributed the delay to an extended monsoon season in 2024.
Currently, around 8,000 workers are deployed on-site, and the company is expected to accelerate the pace of work by increasing manpower, deploying more machinery and subcontracting specific tasks.Advt “After the meeting chaired by the CM, we convened another meeting with all stakeholders, including the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to discuss the catch-up plan,” Singh said.
The pace of the terminal building’s construction has been affected by the intricate design of its iron façade. The terminal’s forecourt will resemble the ghats of Varanasi and Haridwar. The design also incorporates a central courtyard to allow light and air into the building. The concept of a wavy roof is inspired by rivers.
“All of us are working towards a common goal, which is completion of this project within the revised timeline. The state govt has been an avid supporter of this project from the very beginning. We have established a strong partnership with them and are working hand in hand. We all want the same thing – a world-class airport for western Uttar Pradesh. Govt is focused on providing connectivity, security, utilities, etc. This is a true public-private partnership,” said a YIAPL spokesperson.
