Do not be surprised if air travels to Delhi are routed through Noida, soon. The possibilities for this are just opening up. The work of an airport at Noida in Uttar Pradesh is going on, and it may pose a stiff challenge to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi. The new airport is setting the stage for a section of travellers to New Delhi to route their travel through Noida. Lower ticket rates are the chief reason travellers will flock to Noida, which is just 72 km from the Delhi airport.
It is expected that ticket rates in Noida will be 10% to 15% lower than those charged in the Delhi airport. While a flight ticket for travel to Lucknow from Delhi costs Rs. 3,500, it is just Rs. 2,800 from Noida. The greater the distance of travel, the larger will be the reduction in the ticket rates. Therefore, there are more possibilities for budget travellers to choose Noida as their favourite airport. The strategic move by the Uttar Pradesh government to exempt VAT for airline turbine fuel has also benefited the airport. The authorities calculate that if the number of passengers increases, the loss of revenue caused by the VAT exemption could be offset. The construction company of the Noida airport is confident of recovering the expenditure within six years.
It is expected that the construction of the airport will be completed by February next and services will begin by October. Sixty-five flights are expected to take off from the airport on the very day of the inauguration. The airport, being constructed on 1,334 hectares at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, is located 40 km from Noida and 130 km from Agra. Its strategic location will prove to be its advantage. There are also plans to construct a metro rail system from Noida Airport to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
