The domestic operations at the upcoming Noida International Airport are likely to commence in June, highly placed sources revealed to businessline.
According to sources, the deadline for the completion of the international wing of the terminal has been set as June 25, 2025.
Last week, businessline was the first to report the facility’s terminal building under phase I of the project will only be completed by June.
Notably, the proposed move for a partial opening assumes significance as the current pace of construction will render the operator with the option to either partially open the airport by June, whereas the full construction and operationalisation of the facility might stretch up to July-August.
Sources said that the airport’s stakeholders recently held a meeting to discuss the various options to start the operations.
Accordingly, the stakeholders expect that a majority of work at the terminal building for domestic operations will be completed by mid-to-late May, followed by the attainment of regulatory clearances between May 15-25, 2025.
“After the grant of regulatory clearances, the airport will still take another two to three weeks to fully operationalise at least the domestic wing of the terminal,” sources told businessline.
“The final decision on the inauguration date and the commencement of domestic operations will be taken at a high-level review meeting, which will be held in April.”
According to sources, only after complete preparations for the operationalisation have been made for the domestic wing of the terminal will the inauguration date be decided.
“As of now, over 90 per cent of the work has been completed. Clear-cut instructions have been given to prepare for the full-fledged domestic terminal operations. The airport will not be inaugurated just for cargo operations,” sources said.
“The bulk of the work, especially the roofing and the installations on the first floor of the terminal building, will more or less be completed by May 15. Regulatory licenses are expected any time between May 15 and 25.”
At present, sources told businessline, that the construction work is in progress to create parking standards, roofing work, and the installation of conveyor belt-related equipment, as well as other key features at the terminal.
“For the commencement of domestic operations, a cordoned-off area will be created, which would then be inspected by BCAS (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security) and DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) before opening.”
A BCAS inspection is required for anti-sabotage checks and inspection of the required apparatus for anti-hijacking and bomb squad operations. Thereafter, the DGCA is expected to grant the regulatory license. Generally, it takes 90 days for the regulator to process the aerodrome application for licensing.
It was widely speculated that the airport might be inaugurated and made operational by May; however, inspections by the central aviation safety regulator and other authorities have not led to a definite timeline.
In terms of airport infrastructure, the Air Control Tower (ATC) is expected to become operational by April 15.
“Around May 15, the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) will also become effective,” sources said.
In technical parlance, the AIP is a manual for pilots and aircrew that contains thorough details of regulations, procedures, and information regarding navigation and airspace that are required for operating to and from a given airport.
On its part, Noida International Airport said that it is making steady progress towards operational readiness.
“Noida International Airport (NIA) continues to progress steadily towards operational readiness. We expect to receive our aerodrome licence by mid-May. The Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), which was issued earlier this month, is also expected to become effective as of mid-May. Following this, the start of operations will be planned in coordination with airlines and other partners,” an NIA official said.
“Discussions on an inauguration event are ongoing with the State government.”
In its first phase of development, the airport with one runway and one terminal will have a capacity to handle traffic of 12 million passengers annually. After the completion of the fourth phase, the airport will have the capacity to manage 70 million passengers per year.
Airline major IndiGo is expected to be the first passenger carrier to start services from the airport. The airline had entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NIA.
On the international front, many foreign carriers have also shown interest in starting operations at the airport once it gets operational.