Uttar Pradesh fines Noida Airport operator for delays

The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a daily fine of Rs 10 lakh on Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) for delays in the construction of Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar. Officials confirmed that the airport is expected to start commercial operations in mid-May. The NIA is poised to become an important aviation hub in northern India. Domestic flights are planned to begin between May 15 and 31, while international flights are set for June 15 to 25. Arun Vir Singh, CEO of NIAL, mentioned that the state government has pushed YIAPL to expedite work to meet these timelines. Originally, the airport was scheduled to open on September 29, 2024. This date was later moved to April 17, 2025, but further delays are now anticipated. The aerodrome license is likely to be issued in May. YIAPL, which is a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, was awarded a 40-year concession to operate the airport starting from October 1, 2021. A review meeting attended by key stakeholders took place recently. Officials from the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation were present. Singh stated that YIAPL needs to submit a plan to catch up on the construction by April 2. He noted that the project faced setbacks during the Covid pandemic and that Tata Projects was awarded the construction contract in June 2022. The daily fines will continue until the airport is fully operational.