New Delhi, Oct 25 (NationPress) In anticipation of the imminent inauguration of the Noida International Airport (NIA), the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, conducted an inspection of the terminal building on Saturday and provided directives to the relevant officials.

The Chief Minister's Office shared on X, "#UPCM @myogiadityanath conducted an inspection of the construction works at the under-development 'Noida International Airport' in Jewar, located in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district today and offered essential instructions to the involved officials."

Accompanied by various officials, the Chief Minister toured the terminal building and the surrounding construction site. He used an escalator and held a meeting with officials in a conference room on the site, according to an official.

The inauguration of the Noida International Airport is anticipated on October 30, with initial flight operations expected to commence within 45 days following the opening. In its first phase, the airport is set to connect to 10 cities.

The launch of this new airport coincides with the recent inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) earlier this month.

These two new airports will enable both megacities, Delhi and Mumbai, to reduce reliance on a single major airport to accommodate the substantial influx of passengers.

The new facilities promise to alleviate congestion, provide improved flight schedules, and facilitate more direct international routes.

This development is anticipated to bring India's aviation infrastructure closer to that of global hubs like New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris, where multiple airports serve the same metropolitan area.

The initiation of NMIA and NIA represents a pivotal transformation for India's aviation sector, which has traditionally depended on a single main airport in each major city, despite rapidly increasing air travel.

Goa has already set a precedent by becoming India's first multi-airport city with the opening of Mopa Airport in January 2023, alongside the existing Dabolim Airport.

For travelers, these new airports will translate to enhanced travel options and improved connectivity, not only between Delhi and Mumbai but also across a broader international network.

Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa will benefit from major capacity expansions and new route opportunities due to the upcoming airports.

Industry analysts predict that these new airports will solidify Delhi-NCR as true global aviation hubs, enabling Indian airlines to compete more effectively with carriers from the Middle East and Europe.

While the current airports in Mumbai and Goa are already operating at near full capacity, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport still has room for growth with its three terminals and four runways.

However, the establishment of the Noida International Airport may accelerate Delhi's rise as India's largest aviation hub.

Goa's recent experience illustrates the potential impact. Between April 2018 and March 2019, Dabolim Airport handled 8.46 million passengers. After Mopa Airport commenced operations in January 2023, the combined traffic at both airports surged to 11 million passengers in 2023-24.

Delhi and Mumbai are expected to experience even greater increases, especially as Delhi will effectively operate three airports once Hindon Airbase, currently utilized for regional and low-cost flights, expands its capacity.