Noida International Airport at Jewar marks its official inauguration on Saturday, March 28, 2026, culminating a 25-year journey from its initial proposal in 2001 to becoming India's newest global aviation hub. (Express)The inauguration of the Noida International Airport at Jewar on Saturday marks the culmination of a project that remained on the drawing board for over two decades, navigating shifting political priorities and regulatory hurdles.The idea of a greenfield airport in Jewar dates back to 2001, when now Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Within months, in 2022, Mayawati took charge as CM and the proposal received preliminary clearance from the Union government. The project was soon shelved in 2003 by the next Samajwadi Party government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav.The project was revived in 2007 as the Taj International Aviation Hub by the then BSP government, with the airport planned along the Yamuna Expressway. Mayawati pushed the project for five years, describing it as a dream initiative.The move faced resistance from the UPA government at the Centre, which raised concerns that a new airport in Jewar could impact traffic at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. A key hurdle was also the civil aviation policy restricting greenfield airports within 150 km of an existing one.The project continued to face uncertainty between 2012 and 2016 as the then SP government wanted to develop an international airport in Agra, and explored alternative sites, including Saifai.Momentum returned after 2014 with the NDA coming to power at the Centre. Gautam Buddha Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma, then MoS for Civil Aviation, publicly said that the airport was among his priorities. But the SP government was in no mood to allow the project.In 2016, the NDA government relaxed the 150-km rule for greenfield airports, removing a major regulatory hurdle. With the BJP forming the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, the project was put on the fast track.Story continues below this adThe Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) was designated as the implementing agency, and the airport was structured as a public-private partnership. In 2018, Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) was incorporated as a joint venture between the Uttar Pradesh government and regional authorities like NOIDA, Greater NOIDA, and YEIDA.A year later, Zurich International Airport AG won the bid, ahead of competitors, including the Adani Group. A concession agreement was signed with its special purpose vehicle, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).Land acquisition, however, delayed the project.In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the airport. Originally slated for completion in October 2024, the project missed multiple deadlines before its launch on Saturday.Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Noida