NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Phase 1 of the Noida International Airport at Jewar, calling it a major step towards a “Viksit Uttar Pradesh” and saying it would help young people turn their ambitions into reality.
The airport in UP’s Gautam Buddh Nagar is being seen as a key addition to India’s aviation network. Built under a public-private partnership model at a cost of around ₹11,200 crore, the project is expected to boost connectivity and economic activity across western Uttar Pradesh.
While addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said the excitement among young people showed how much they were counting on the project. He noted that the airport would open up fresh opportunities not just for jobs, but also for small businesses and farmers in the region.
He said flights from the Noida International Airport would connect the region to global destinations, while also helping local industries grow. Calling it a symbol of a developing Uttar Pradesh, he said the project marks the beginning of a new phase in the “Viksit Bharat” vision.
“Today, we have started a new chapter of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Viksit UP’. The country’s largest state has today become one of the states with the highest number of international airports in the nation,” he said.
PM Modi also pointed out that Uttar Pradesh now has one of the highest numbers of international airports in the country. He added that several nearby cities, including Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah and Bulandshahr, would benefit from the new airport.
“This airport will bring numerous new opportunities for farmers, small and micro industries, and the youth of western Uttar Pradesh. Flights will take off from here to destinations across the world, and at the same time, this airport will also become a symbol of a significant step towards achieving the goal of a ‘Viksit Uttar Pradesh’,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he felt proud to both lay the foundation stone and inaugurate the airport. He thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh for giving him the opportunity and said the achievement belonged to them as well.
“I am happy and proud that you all gave me the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of this project, and now, I am the one who is inaugurating it also. Today, I am sharing this success with you. Second, the name of this airport is now attached to Uttar Pradesh, which chose me as a representative and made me a parliamentarian,” he added.
During the visit, PM Modi also toured an exhibition that showcased the construction journey of the airport. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present with him.
Agencies