Noida Airport Inaugural Flight: Farmers Who Gave Land Take Historic Journey
Farmers who relinquished land for Noida Airport board first flight to Lucknow, marking a milestone in civil aviation’s development.
Six years after surrendering their fields, 170 farmers board Noida International Airport’s inaugural IndiGo flight to Lucknow. The special service, organised by Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, includes 20 women, symbolising transformation from farmland to aviation hub.
Noida Airport, Jewar, IndiGo, Farmers Flight, Lucknow, Civil Aviation, Uttar Pradesh
Noida International Airport (NIA) will witness its maiden commercial flight operations on Monday, with an emotional twist as 170 farmers—who ceded land for the project six years ago—become its first passengers. The IndiGo aircraft (6E 2278), scheduled to depart Lucknow at 7.05am, will land at NIA at 8.05am before the inaugural outbound flight to Bengaluru at 8.35am.
The special farmers’ flight, departing NIA at 8.30am for Lucknow, will carry representatives of the displaced communities. Organised with Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh’s support, the service includes 20 women and aims to honour their contribution. Upon arrival in Lucknow at 9.20am, passengers will meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to express gratitude before returning to Noida later. Singh termed the event “historical,” highlighting its symbolic significance for Jewar and the nation.
Adjacent to the inaugural flights, security arrangements at NIA align with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security standards. Over 1,030 CISF personnel, AI-enabled surveillance, and facial-recognition systems will ensure safety. A dedicated airport police station, dog squads, firefighting teams, and medical emergency units are operational. The airport, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on March 28, 2023, is poised to serve Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and adjacent regions in Haryana and Uttarakhand. Akasa Air’s Delhi-Navi Mumbai-NIA route commences Tuesday.
Shailendra Bhatia, NIA’s nodal officer, confirmed readiness for operations. “All systems are functional, and the airport is prepared to welcome passengers,” he stated, underscoring compliance with safety protocols.
