NOIDA: The Noida International Airport (NIA) will not be ready this year. Not in the first quarter of next year either.
The completion of the mega project has been pushed back by at least six months to April 2025. Officials said the delay was because of the slow progress in the construction of the terminal building, which is running way behind schedule.
Although the concessionaire — Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL) — did not elaborate on the reasons behind the delay in the terminal’s construction, sources aware of the development said the import of “special grade steel”, which is required for the building’s roof, had been hit because of a shortage in the international market.
In a statement, YIAPL said it was determined to ensure that the pace of construction was not hit further.
“In view of the current construction status, we expect to begin commercial operations by the end of April 2025. We are working together with our EPC contractor, Tata Projects Limited, and with other stakeholders to maintain a high pace of construction activities and preparations for operational readiness,” the statement read.
According to an estimate on May 31, more than 20% of the entire project was yet to be constructed. As for the terminal building, officials said, work was going on to build the façade and waterproofing.
In April this year, Tata projects — which is building the airport on behalf of YIAPL — had raised concern about the shortage of steel, the sources told TOI. But the company had also assured the concessionaire it was trying to procure steel from multiple vendors so that construction did not take a hit.
The next few weeks, however, are crucial for the project’s timeline, YIAPL agreed.
“This is a large and complex project, and the next few weeks of construction activities are crucial. Work on the runway, the passenger terminal, and the control tower is well advanced. Recently, the concessions for ground handling, the operation of commercial areas, and important maintenance contracts were awarded. Additionally, agreements have been signed with several airlines for flight connections from Noida International Airport,” the statement stated.
As of now, some 9,000 workers are deployed at the airport site. While the glass façade on the ATC tower is nearly complete, the runway is getting a final coat of asphalt. Installation of flight-related equipment on the runway is also in progress, sources said, adding that the Airports Authority of India was setting up critical navigation aids like glide paths and localisers.
The first phase of the airport — to come up on 1,334 hectares — is likely to cost Rs 10,056 crore.
Noida International Airport Ltd (NIAL), UP govt’s special purpose vehicle for the project, has said it will impose a hefty penalty on the construction company for the delay. According to the concession agreement, the company will be allowed a grace period of 91 days under certain conditions. It will then be slapped with a fine of Rs 10 lakh a day.
Officials said a notice had already been issued to YIAPL on Monday because it extended the completion timeline without consulting the govt body.
“YIAPL made a unilateral decision to extend the deadline without consulting us. We will impose a fine on the company in keeping with the concession agreement. We have issued a notice. But the matter regarding the grace period will be decided by the state govt,” said Arun Vir Singh, the NIAL CEO.
Chief secretary DS Mishra — also the chairperson of the NIAL board — will hold a project review meeting on Friday. Senior officials of Tata Projects, including Raman Kapil — president of buildings and infrastructure division, will be ready with updates, officials said.
NIAL, meanwhile, has also raised objections regarding the construction of a hotel by Roseate Group and a cargo terminal by AISATS without obtaining layout approvals from Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). NIAL has assigned the responsibility of approving maps to YEIDA as it does not have its own bylaws.
The Noida airport will initially feature a runway and terminal each, with a capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually. The project is set to be developed in four phases, ultimately expanding to two runways and two terminal buildings, and accommodating up to 70 million passengers a year.
