BCAS clearance paves way for aerodrome licence for Noida International Airport

The proposed Noida International Airport has received ''security vetting clearance'' from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), clearing a key hurdle for the grant of an aerodrome licence, officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government said on Thursday. Confirming the development, Rakesh Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and Noida International Airport Limited, told PTI that with the security vetting clearance from BCAS, the aerodrome licence for the airport is expected to be granted soon. ''The airport has received its security vetting approval from BCAS. With this clearance, the aerodrome licence is likely to be issued shortly,'' Singh said. He said the security approval was the last major requirement before the grant of the aerodrome licence. ''After the aerodrome licence is granted, airlines and airport operators will hold discussions regarding operations and scheduling. Following this, the airport can start passenger flight services,'' he said. The greenfield airport project is coming up in the Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh and is being developed as Noida International Airport. It is expected to emerge as one of the largest airports in the country once completed in phases. Officials said the first phase of the airport is likely to begin operations soon. The phase is being developed over more than 1,300 hectares and will initially include one terminal building and a single runway. According to airport authorities, the facility in its first phase is expected to handle around 1.2 crore passengers annually. The airport was originally scheduled to be inaugurated in September 2024 but the timeline has been pushed back multiple times. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated that the airport will begin operations soon. Speaking at an event in Greater Noida on Thursday, the chief minister said the upcoming airport would significantly accelerate development in the region.