GOVT STARTS PROCESS ACQUIRING LAND WORTH OVER RS 4,000 CRORE FOR SECOND PHASE OF NOIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The district administration has started taking possession of land for the second phase of the Noida International Airport. This will include the proposed maintenance & repair and overhaul (MRO) hub and aviation hub, reported ToI.

For the said phase, the administration will be acquiring 1,365 acres of land, of which 1,181.3 hectares belongs to from Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kuraib, Ranhera, Mudharh, and Beerampur villages, to be acquired at a cost of Rs 4,898 crore. The remaining land is govt-owned.

The administration has taken possession of 237 hectares of the 1,181 hectares earmarked for acquisition in six villages so far. Land has been acquired from three villages -- Birampur (54.6 out of 57.6 hectares), Dayantpur (145 out of 148 hectares), and Mudharh (37 out of 48 hectares).

“The process of taking possession in the remaining villages is underway. The compensation distribution is in its final stage. We are taking possession of the land where all the processes have been completed,” said district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma.

About second phase:On Nov 18, 2022, the state govt had issued a notification to acquire land for the second phase, and the distribution of compensation for the same began in July last year.

Additionally, the resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) process is in progress to relocate farmers from three villages.

Approximately 13,000 families affected by land acquisition for the second phase will be resettled in Falaida Bangar and Modalpur, requiring 212 hectares of land. Farmers from Ranhera, Kuraib, and Karoli Bangar villages will be completely displaced.

Meanwhile, officials from the Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), which is overseeing the airport project, said that private concessionaire Yamuna International Airport Ltd (YIAPL) is in talks with the DGCA and Airport Authority of India to start test flights by Nov this year. The govt aims to commence commercial operations by the end of this year.

Last month, YIAPL had announced that the project completion date had been pushed to the end of April 2025, instead of the official completion date of September 29 this year. The delay was attributed to slow progress in constructing the passenger terminal due to a shortage of special-grade steel and delays in fabrication of steel-frames (purlin) for the terminal roof.

During an inspection on June 28, then-chief secretary DS Mishra instructed the concessionaire to start commercial services by Dec at any cost and requested the developer to submit an action plan for the same by July 15.

NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh said, “To address the issues related to fabrication, we have decided to increase the number of vendors by four more at the airport site. Currently, four vendors are working. Doubling the number of vendors will ensure the work is completed on time. Steel is being supplied from Chhattisgarh, and the structure will be prepared at the construction site.”

The CEO went on to say that necessary equipment, including the instrument landing system (CAT 1 and CAT 3), will be installed before test flights begin.

(with ToI inputs)