As Jewar waits for the new airport to unleash an economic boom, there are two clear avenues that have opened up already to make more money.
One is for those who have cash in hand. Buy land as close as possible to the airport and wait for the rates to go up.
The other is renting. There are, suddenly, more people looking for a place to stay, the early birds who hope to set up something before the airport gets going, so they are fully prepared when it does. Some families are renting out rooms in their houses. Others have built extensions or added floors. The rent, villagers say, can range from Rs 5,000-8,000 a month.
“Labourers at the project site get free stay within the fenced colony. But those with families prefer to stay on rent. This is a small business opportunity we don’t want to miss. So, we are cashing in on it for as long as we can,” says Harish Chandra of Kishorpur.
Satendra Pandey of Prayagraj, who started as a labourer in 2008 and became a supervisor for a contractor at the Bharat Mandapam project in Delhi, recently shifted to Jewar. He’s looking for a job at the project site itself.
“I moved here to test the waters. Back home, there are many people who want to come to Jewar because the airport is a huge source of jobs. We hear opportunities are in the air for people like us. We just have to make use of them,” Pandey tells TOI.
Virendra Kumar (55), who ran a multipurpose shop in Tigri village of Greater Noida, is no different. “With so many workers involved in the airport’s construction, we saw an opportunity to increase our family income. My family and I have taken a room on rent and a small commercial space to set up shop here,” he adds.
Kumar, however, fears that if the influx of people continues at the current rate, business opportunities will dwindle because of oversupply since the airport is yet to become operational.
Himanchal Sharma of Mangroli village owned a mobile phone shop till about a year ago. “But over the past few months, I have opened five other shops, one of which is in Kishorpur,” he says.
Sharma explains his decision. “Now, I pay a monthly rent of Rs 9,000 for a shop in Kishorpur. But the average income is Rs 25,000-30,000. Earlier, I would think of shifting to Noida, Delhi or other cities of NCR. But Jewar is better,” smiles Sharma, who wants to expand his business further.
But as people from other places head to Jewar, are there enough jobs for the local youths? Not really, they say.
Villagers say they lack the education or training required to work at the airport site. This has given rise to calls for better educational facilities, including training centres on aviation.
“There aren’t enough higher educational institutions nearby that offer a variety of courses. When the airport project was launched, it gave a sense of relief that our lives will change and all of us will have jobs. But when I went to ask for one at the airport, I was told I lacked the degree or qualification to work for the project,” says 22-year-old Akshay.
“Earlier, there was the option of farming. But that is now gone too. Govt is doing so much for development. Why not build some colleges too?” he asks.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had in July 2022 approved a skill development centre near the airport. Around 8,700 sqm have been earmarked for the centre in Sector 31 off the Yamuna Expressway.
Once ready, the centre will offer vocational training to youths on aviation, apparel and other professional fields.
