Jewar airport inches closer to reality, gets defence ministry nod

GREATER NOIDA: The international airport at Jewar has moved a step ahead with the ministry of defence giving its no-objection certificate to the ambitious project. "The NOC was granted to directorate of civil aviation, government of Uttar Pradesh on January 11 and we have received the letter from Lucknow on January 23," Shailendar Bhatia, officer on special duty, YEIDA, the nodal agency appointed by the state government for the project, told TOI on Thursday.

According to Bhatia, the defence ministry had set certain conditions while granting the clearance for the airport. "The conditions include a provision for uninterrupted landing and parking facilities for defence and paramilitary aircraft besides free landing, parking and use of infrastructure facilities required for defence operations," the OSD said.

"Radio navigational aids will also have to be installed at the airfield and made available for IAF aircraft and transiting flights. The airport operator will also have to ensure installation of radar and MAV-aids at the airfield besides ensuring that no interference is caused with IAF radar and MAV-aids operational at nearby IAF station at Hindon, Agra, etc. Also, we will have to ensure that direct communication facilities are established between ATC at the proposed airport at Jewar and the ATC at air force station Hindon effecting a smooth coordination between civil and military ATS units," he said.


"The operator will also have to ensure that earmarking of airspace, ATS routes, arrival/departure routes and instrument approach procedures at the proposed airport do not interfere or infringe with the IAF restricted, prohibited and danger airspaces and ATS procedures," he added.

According to YEIDA officials, they had requisitioned the defence ministry to give their go ahead for the project in May 2016. Thereafter, YEIDA was asked to get an archaeological and cultural survey conducted to specify the topography of the area identifying any historical and places of archaeological importance, which could in future prove to be a road block for the project.