The upcoming Noida airport is likely to have direct connectivity with Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a Rs 16,000 crore rapid rail corridor that will connect the two airports with other parts of Delhi. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is working on a detailed project report which will be completed by March.
Shailendra Bhatia, Uttar Pradesh government’s nodal officer at Noida International Airport Limited, said once the project starts, it will take four years to complete.
The rail corridor will give a big boost to the attractiveness of the greenfield airport and allow it to handle passenger traffic from Delhi airport. The airport is expected to launch its first flight later this year and agreements have already been signed with IndiGo and Akasa Air to start flights.
While Delhi airport is operated by GMR Group, Zurich Airport has won the contract to operate Noida airport. Other major cities in the world that have multiple airports have similar high-speed rail networks to streamline passenger transfers.
As per the proposal, the Noida airport link will start from Ghaziabad station which is one of the interchange stations of Delhi Meerut Rapid Rail Transport.
Passengers will be able to connect from under construction. The Delhi–Alwar Rapid Rail passes through Sarai Kale Khan which is the originating station of the Delhi–Meerut Railway. The Delhi-Alwar rail, which is scheduled to be completed by mid-2025, will have a station at Indira Gandhi International Airport along with Aerocity.
“This will be an important link to increase the connectivity of the airport with other road networks. It is important to have high speed connections between both the airports and the Delhi region so that the catchment area of the airport increases. Bhatia said that since the project has been approved by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the total travel time will be around 80 minutes.
Before the Noida Rapid Rail, other options including an express metro directly connecting the two airports were considered, but were abandoned as the project cost was not feasible.
Bhatia said other means of public transport systems such as high speed bus corridors are also being developed to connect the airport with cities like Delhi and Gurgaon. “We are planning multi-modal transport connectivity for the airport,” he said.
Noida airport officials said such connectivity will increase the airport’s attractiveness for starting airline services. “When we present the airport to airlines, both domestic and international airlines will definitely check the connectivity. “Such initiatives from the government help,” said an airport official.
CEO Christoph Schnellmann said the airport would be operational by the end of the year.
“Runway asphalting and paving activity is underway. Baggage system is being installed. Construction activities will pick up pace in the next few months. We are also working with partners to develop retail and food and beverage experiences at the airport,” he said.