'Noida International Airport will be operational by 2024 end'

CEO Christoph Schnellmann says NIA will be a greenfield airport with a zero-emission philosophy.

- DIBYENDU MONDAL

The much-awaited Noida International Airport (NIA) that is coming up at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh would provide much relief to the traffic at the Delhi airport and is likely to become the first international hub for India. The greenfield airport is likely to begin operations by the end of 2024.

The Sunday Guardian spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of NIA, Christoph Schnellmann, about the progress of construction of NIA and what the new airport holds for all of us. Excerpts:

Q: Can you give us an update on the construction status of the Noida International airport?

A: The construction work is going on in full swing. With over nine months into the construction with Tata Projects, the excavation process and earthwork for the terminal building and the runway have been completed with multiple mega pours over the last few weeks. Vertical construction for buildings has also started. There are almost 3,000 workers who are fully mobilized at the site. In the next few months, nearly a dozen buildings will come up at the site, including the passenger terminal, air traffic control tower, office blocks, sewage and water treatment plants, and electric sub-stations. The airport will become operational by the end of 2024 with one terminal building and one runway, with a passenger capacity of 12 million per year.

Q: What are the challenges you have faced so far and how have you been able to overcome those?