News Analysis India

Tag: Noida airport

  • Lucknow Diary: Manpower boost for Noida airport project

    Express News Service

    Manpower boost for Noida airport projectIn order to fast-track the phase-I construction work of the Noida International Airport to meet its 2024 deadline, the construction agency is set to scale up the man power by at least 5,000 workers at the Jewar site. Chief executive officer (CEO) of the upcoming project, Christoph Schnellmann, has expressed confidence over phase-I getting operational by the end of 2024. At present, with the deployment of 1,300 workers along with the supporting equipment, the construction of a runway, passenger terminal, parking bay, sewage treatment plant, roads, green spaces, and other infrastructure is going on simultaneously at the Jewar site.

    British-era silver coins found under houseAn antique treasure trove of 129 British-era silver coins saw light of the day yet again when a house was dug up at Bhim Nagar in Lucknow’s Yahiaganj recently. The matter was reported to the Archaeological Survey of India in order to ascertain the value of the coins. The silver coins were dating back to the British era. They will likely be handed over to the state archaeology wing or the museum authorities for display in the coin gallery section. Workers engaged in digging came across a pot buried in the soil. After unearthing the pot, they found silver coins in it. However, the cops said that the coins would be deposited in the state treasury after verification.

    Yogi’s popularity put to test in HimachalGiving a push to BJP’s prospects in Himachal Pradesh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath emphatically threw his weight behind the party by addressing a whirlwind of 16 rallies in a span of five days in the hill state where the Assembly polls is scheduled for Saturday. On the last day of campaign on Thursday, Yogi spoke at four public rallies obliging the candidates of his party as they wanted him to address rallies in their constituencies. Besides PM Modi, the ruling BJP has depended on Yogi’s campaign in the state. Yogi was in Mandi, Kangra, Kullu, Solan, Una, Hamirpur, Shimla and Bilaspur.  

    Namita bajpaiOur correspondent in Uttar Pradeshnamita.bajpai@ newindianexpress.com

    Manpower boost for Noida airport project
    In order to fast-track the phase-I construction work of the Noida International Airport to meet its 2024 deadline, the construction agency is set to scale up the man power by at least 5,000 workers at the Jewar site. Chief executive officer (CEO) of the upcoming project, Christoph Schnellmann, has expressed confidence over phase-I getting operational by the end of 2024. At present, with the deployment of 1,300 workers along with the supporting equipment, the construction of a runway, passenger terminal, parking bay, sewage treatment plant, roads, green spaces, and other infrastructure is going on simultaneously at the Jewar site.

    British-era silver coins found under house
    An antique treasure trove of 129 British-era silver coins saw light of the day yet again when a house was dug up at Bhim Nagar in Lucknow’s Yahiaganj recently. The matter was reported to the Archaeological Survey of India in order to ascertain the value of the coins. The silver coins were dating back to the British era. They will likely be handed over to the state archaeology wing or the museum authorities for display in the coin gallery section. Workers engaged in digging came across a pot buried in the soil. After unearthing the pot, they found silver coins in it. However, the cops said that the coins would be deposited in the state treasury after verification.

    Yogi’s popularity put to test in Himachal
    Giving a push to BJP’s prospects in Himachal Pradesh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath emphatically threw his weight behind the party by addressing a whirlwind of 16 rallies in a span of five days in the hill state where the Assembly polls is scheduled for Saturday. On the last day of campaign on Thursday, Yogi spoke at four public rallies obliging the candidates of his party as they wanted him to address rallies in their constituencies. Besides PM Modi, the ruling BJP has depended on Yogi’s campaign in the state. Yogi was in Mandi, Kangra, Kullu, Solan, Una, Hamirpur, Shimla and Bilaspur.  

    Namita bajpai
    Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
    namita.bajpai@ newindianexpress.com

  • UP airport land acquisition: Farmers protest seeking compensation hike, relocation to place of choice

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: UP farmers whose land is earmarked for the proposed Jewar International airport in Noida staged a protest against the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday. 

    The farmers protested demanding better compensation and rehabilitation package for their families. Around 80 per cent of farmers reportedly have given their approval for land acquisition for the second phase of construction of the project. 

    As per the sources, two farmers’ groups resorted to protests. The first group comprised those whose land has already been acquired and the work of the airport runway is underway. The farmers belonging to this group staged a protest at Jewar Bangar airport township, where they have been given residential plots as part of the rehabilitation programme of the UP government.

    The protesting farmers were demanding a hike in the compensation for their land so as to match it with the money being given to other groups at the rate of Rs 3,300 per square metre.

    The land of the second group of farmers is being acquired for the second phase of the airport project. On the other, the second group of farmers, whose land is yet to be acquired, staged a protest at Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) office demanding residential plots in Modelpur village instead of Faleda village.

    ALSO READ | Noida airport land acquisition: UP CM Adityanath makes emotional appeal, proposes compensation hike 

    However, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, who briefed the media about the progress on farmers’ consent for the second phase claimed that at least 82 per cent of farmers had given their consent for land acquisition for the airport’s second phase and talks were on with those who were protesting to redress their grievances. Similarly, many farmers refused to give up their land as they were unhappy over hurried relocation.

    After a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had announced increased compensation and jobs for locals, the farmers agreed to the terms. The farmers were dissatisfied with the officers involved in the relocation process. A delegation of farmers met Yogi Adityanath about 10 days ago, following which they gave their nod to the acquisition.

    “For the first time in nearby localities, land acquisition is happening in such a peaceful manner for the progress of not only the locality but the country also,” said Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh.

    Notably, the Uttar Pradesh government hiked the land compensation from the current ₹2,650 per square metre (SQM) to ₹3,300-3,400 per sqm last fortnight.

    The state government had already acquired and handed over 1,334 hectares in Jewar to the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, which is building the airport.

    Now the state government has a target to acquire 1,185 hectares for setting up the third runway and commercial MRO centre (maintenance, repair and overhaul work of aircraft).

    The six villages from which land is being acquired are Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kureb, Ranhera and Mundhera. The international airport under construction at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh is touted to be Asia’s largest and the world’s fourth largest.

    The Chief Minister is personally looking after the development of the airport to avoid any roadblocks.

    LUCKNOW: UP farmers whose land is earmarked for the proposed Jewar International airport in Noida staged a protest against the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday. 

    The farmers protested demanding better compensation and rehabilitation package for their families. Around 80 per cent of farmers reportedly have given their approval for land acquisition for the second phase of construction of the project. 

    As per the sources, two farmers’ groups resorted to protests. The first group comprised those whose land has already been acquired and the work of the airport runway is underway. The farmers belonging to this group staged a protest at Jewar Bangar airport township, where they have been given residential plots as part of the rehabilitation programme of the UP government.

    The protesting farmers were demanding a hike in the compensation for their land so as to match it with the money being given to other groups at the rate of Rs 3,300 per square metre.

    The land of the second group of farmers is being acquired for the second phase of the airport project. On the other, the second group of farmers, whose land is yet to be acquired, staged a protest at Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) office demanding residential plots in Modelpur village instead of Faleda village.

    ALSO READ | Noida airport land acquisition: UP CM Adityanath makes emotional appeal, proposes compensation hike 

    However, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, who briefed the media about the progress on farmers’ consent for the second phase claimed that at least 82 per cent of farmers had given their consent for land acquisition for the airport’s second phase and talks were on with those who were protesting to redress their grievances. Similarly, many farmers refused to give up their land as they were unhappy over hurried relocation.

    After a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had announced increased compensation and jobs for locals, the farmers agreed to the terms. The farmers were dissatisfied with the officers involved in the relocation process. A delegation of farmers met Yogi Adityanath about 10 days ago, following which they gave their nod to the acquisition.

    “For the first time in nearby localities, land acquisition is happening in such a peaceful manner for the progress of not only the locality but the country also,” said Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh.

    Notably, the Uttar Pradesh government hiked the land compensation from the current ₹2,650 per square metre (SQM) to ₹3,300-3,400 per sqm last fortnight.

    The state government had already acquired and handed over 1,334 hectares in Jewar to the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, which is building the airport.

    Now the state government has a target to acquire 1,185 hectares for setting up the third runway and commercial MRO centre (maintenance, repair and overhaul work of aircraft).

    The six villages from which land is being acquired are Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kureb, Ranhera and Mundhera. The international airport under construction at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh is touted to be Asia’s largest and the world’s fourth largest.

    The Chief Minister is personally looking after the development of the airport to avoid any roadblocks.

  • Noida airport land acquisition: UP CM Adityanath makes emotional appeal, proposes compensation hike 

    By PTI

    NOIDA: An emotional appeal from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a promise for increased compensation has once again propelled the upcoming Noida International Airport’s land acquisition from farmers who had denied consent for the project.

    The first phase of the greenfield airport, billed to be India’s largest upon completion and costing an estimated Rs 29,560 crore, is under development in the Jewar area in western Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, some 75 km off the national capital Delhi.

    But the mega aviation project of the UP government appeared to have hit turbulence earlier this year when a section of farmers from the six villages, whose land is to be acquired, denied consent to give up their property in lieu of compensation, according to officials.

    The officials said land for the second phase development of the airport is to be acquired from six villages — Ranhera, Kureb, Dayanatpur, Karauli Bangar, Mundrah and Birampur.

    According to The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners is required for acquisition.

    The law also mandates several other features, like rate of compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation facilities, for the government to proceed with land acquisition.

    On October 14, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh led a group of around 200 farmers to Lucknow where a meeting with Chief Minister Adityanath was held.

    “Hum aap se saudebaazi nahi karna chahte (We do not want to negotiate a deal with you,” Adityanath told the farmers in Lucknow during the meeting, as he promised them a hiked compensation of Rs 3,400 per sq metre (including the interest amount).

    Stressing that the people of Jewar are “like family” to him, Adityanath said, “Your contribution in development of an international airport will be there for your generations to see.”

    The chief minister added that “the development of the region would mean nothing if the people living in Jewar do not reap its benefits.

    According to people privy to the work, the land acquisition process for the second phase had lost momentum for nearly 10 months but has once again gained pace with administration officials and the local MLA holding multiple public meetings this week.

    “The consent for land acquisition has reached 60 per cent now and it is expected to cross the minimum requisite 70 per cent before Diwali,” Jewar MLA Singh told PTI.

    The BJP legislator, who had played a key role in land acquisition for the first phase as well, is currently touring all the six villages in his constituency along with administration officials.

    Deputy Collector (Jewar) Abhay Pratap Singh said a total of 1,365 hectare land is in the second phase of which around 1,185 hectare is owned by private persons (farmers).

    The rest is already owned by the state government.

    “There are 7,164 land owners and consent of a minimum 5,015 owners is required for land acquisition. So far, we have got the consent of around 4,300 farmers. The compensation amount would be transferred directly to land owner’s bank accounts in April 2023 in accordance with the government rules,” Singh told PTI.

    The deputy collector added that the administration has instructions from the chief minister to ensure that all support and cooperation are offered to the villagers and consent sought amiably.

    Singh was part of negotiations for the first phase land acquisition from 2018 in the administration team led by the then District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh that broke consent impasse with farmers.

    Both were transferred out of Gautam Buddh Nagar in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    Deputy Collector Singh was recently brought back by the government as sub-divisional magistrate for Jewar.

    According to officials, the airport is being developed in four phases by the Switzerland-based concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG’s special purpose vehicle Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

    In the first phase spread, which is scheduled to be completed by 2024 end, operations will begin with one runway and a capacity of handling 1.20 crore passengers annually by then.

    The first phase will be spread over 1,300 hectare, according to officials. The airport is billed to be India’s largest airport upon full completion in the 2040s. It will be spread over 5,000 hectare, the officials added.

    NOIDA: An emotional appeal from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a promise for increased compensation has once again propelled the upcoming Noida International Airport’s land acquisition from farmers who had denied consent for the project.

    The first phase of the greenfield airport, billed to be India’s largest upon completion and costing an estimated Rs 29,560 crore, is under development in the Jewar area in western Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, some 75 km off the national capital Delhi.

    But the mega aviation project of the UP government appeared to have hit turbulence earlier this year when a section of farmers from the six villages, whose land is to be acquired, denied consent to give up their property in lieu of compensation, according to officials.

    The officials said land for the second phase development of the airport is to be acquired from six villages — Ranhera, Kureb, Dayanatpur, Karauli Bangar, Mundrah and Birampur.

    According to The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners is required for acquisition.

    The law also mandates several other features, like rate of compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation facilities, for the government to proceed with land acquisition.

    On October 14, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh led a group of around 200 farmers to Lucknow where a meeting with Chief Minister Adityanath was held.

    “Hum aap se saudebaazi nahi karna chahte (We do not want to negotiate a deal with you,” Adityanath told the farmers in Lucknow during the meeting, as he promised them a hiked compensation of Rs 3,400 per sq metre (including the interest amount).

    Stressing that the people of Jewar are “like family” to him, Adityanath said, “Your contribution in development of an international airport will be there for your generations to see.”

    The chief minister added that “the development of the region would mean nothing if the people living in Jewar do not reap its benefits.

    According to people privy to the work, the land acquisition process for the second phase had lost momentum for nearly 10 months but has once again gained pace with administration officials and the local MLA holding multiple public meetings this week.

    “The consent for land acquisition has reached 60 per cent now and it is expected to cross the minimum requisite 70 per cent before Diwali,” Jewar MLA Singh told PTI.

    The BJP legislator, who had played a key role in land acquisition for the first phase as well, is currently touring all the six villages in his constituency along with administration officials.

    Deputy Collector (Jewar) Abhay Pratap Singh said a total of 1,365 hectare land is in the second phase of which around 1,185 hectare is owned by private persons (farmers).

    The rest is already owned by the state government.

    “There are 7,164 land owners and consent of a minimum 5,015 owners is required for land acquisition. So far, we have got the consent of around 4,300 farmers. The compensation amount would be transferred directly to land owner’s bank accounts in April 2023 in accordance with the government rules,” Singh told PTI.

    The deputy collector added that the administration has instructions from the chief minister to ensure that all support and cooperation are offered to the villagers and consent sought amiably.

    Singh was part of negotiations for the first phase land acquisition from 2018 in the administration team led by the then District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh that broke consent impasse with farmers.

    Both were transferred out of Gautam Buddh Nagar in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    Deputy Collector Singh was recently brought back by the government as sub-divisional magistrate for Jewar.

    According to officials, the airport is being developed in four phases by the Switzerland-based concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG’s special purpose vehicle Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

    In the first phase spread, which is scheduled to be completed by 2024 end, operations will begin with one runway and a capacity of handling 1.20 crore passengers annually by then.

    The first phase will be spread over 1,300 hectare, according to officials. The airport is billed to be India’s largest airport upon full completion in the 2040s. It will be spread over 5,000 hectare, the officials added.

  • New link road to connect Jewar Airport with Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments have reportedly reached an agreement to construct a 31 km long link road to connect the upcoming Jewar International Airport in Noida with Delhi–Mumbai Expressway passing through Ballabhgarh in Haryana. 

    The expressway is just 31 km away from the upcoming international airport at Jewar.

    Highly-placed sources in Yamuna Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) claimed that both the state governments would acquire the stretch of land required in the respective states and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) would construct the link road.

    While UP would require to acquire land for seven kilometres stretch of the 31-km link road, rest 24 kilometres stretch would fall in Harayana.

    The link road would reduce the travel time from Jewar Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport to approximately one hour.

    The 1250 km Expressway connecting Delhi and Mumbai is proposed to pass through Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Expressway, being constructed by the NHAI, is likely to be completed in the next 2-3 years.

    Construction work on the Jewar international airport project got delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and travel bans. The Zurich Airport has won the tender for the construction of the airport.

    The NHAI is already constructing a 92-km long road to link the Expressway with Indira Gandhi International Airport in seven steps. Some sections of this link road are elevated also.

    The distance between Jewar and IGI airports is around 123 km. The speed on link road connecting Delhi-Mumbai Expressway with Jewar Airport would be around 120 km/hour. “After the construction of the link road, people will be able to reach IGI from Jewar in just an hour,” said a senior YEIDA officer.