Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 11 : The Jewar Airport project, a key infrastructure initiative aimed at bolstering connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR) and western Uttar Pradesh, is on the cusp of completion and is expected to commence the operations in April 2025 said Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday.
He said, "Yesterday, Jewar Airport validation flight has happened. It went through very successfully and all the construction is also coming very close to the end of it. And we are also looking to licence it as soon as possible so that the people of NCR, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh can have the access to an additional airport other than the Indira Gandhi International Airport."
He added, "Because the city has grown and there is a lot of potential for having another airport. So Jewar is a very strategic location. We see it becoming very, very viable. So initially, only they want to operate with 12 million capacity. So they are going very well and we are expecting it to start in April.
With licensing processes underway, the airport is expected to commence operations by April 2024, initially catering to a capacity of 12 million passengers annually.
Naidu emphasized the strategic significance of Jewar Airport as a complement to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, highlighting the growing demand for enhanced aviation infrastructure in the region.
Naidu also unveiled the ambitious roadmap for India's airport expansion, stating, "We are building many more airports in the future. We have 158 airports in the country today. We want to build 50 more in the next five years and almost 200 more in the next 20 years. So definitely we'll try to see these kind of systems when they are evolving Well, we'll try to replicate it in other airports."
Addressing recent security challenges, Naidu discussed legislative measures to curb hoax calls and other aviation-related offences.
He said, "We are trying to bring in two legislative changes regarding the hoax calls that have happened recently. One is the aircraft security rules and we have already gone ahead with this thing. The gadget is still pending so very soon, once the gadget happens. So we are creating the legislation so that any perpetrator, anyone who is involved in these kind of things, they can be put under no fly list."
He added, "We are having a SUASCA act which deals with offences related to civil aviation. So SUASCA act Also, we have proposed for a small amendment. It is going to the inter-ministerial consultation process. Once we get the feedback from all the concerned ministries, we are going to go ahead with the amendment."
He further added, "We are trying to push it so that it happens as soon as possible. But because it is a very important legislation. All the ministries have to give their opinions. So we are still waiting for that."
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