Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh has achieved a major achievement with the inauguration of the first phase of Noida International Airport. Now the number of international airports in the state has increased to 5. With the opening of Jewar Airport, Uttar Pradesh has left behind states like Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu in this matter. If we talk about total airports, now 17 airports are operating in Uttar Pradesh.

Budget increased for air connectivity: Record investment in civil aviation

Uttar Pradesh government has increased the budget manifold to strengthen air connectivity. The civil aviation budget has increased continuously between 2017-18 to 2025-26. In the recent budget, Yogi government has made a provision of Rs 2111 crore for civil aviation, which will further strengthen the infrastructure and connectivity.

UP moving towards 24 airports: Know the current situation

Uttar Pradesh is rapidly moving towards becoming a state with 24 airports.

Operated airports (total 17):

• Domestic Airports (12): Agra, Bareilly (Trishul), Gorakhpur, Hindon (Ghaziabad), Prayagraj, Kanpur, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Shravasti, Chitrakoot, Saharanpur.
• International Airport (5): Jewar (Noida International Airport), Lucknow, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kushinagar

Projects under process (7):

Myorpur (Sonbhadra), Lalitpur, Meerut, Palia (Lakhimpur), Fursatganj (Amethi), Ghazipur and Jhansi.

Noida International Airport: Will become India's biggest cargo and logistics hub

Noida International Airport will no longer be limited to just passenger services, rather it is moving towards becoming a major cargo and logistics hub of the country. Dedicated cargo terminals, multimodal connectivity and exclusive cargo routes will play an important role in making it a global trade gateway.

Dedicated cargo terminal: There will be a big expansion in capacity

A state-of-the-art cargo terminal has been developed in the airport complex, with an initial capacity of approximately 20 lakh metric tonnes. A target has been set to increase it to 80 lakh metric tonnes in future. The capacity to handle cargo is around 2.5 lakh tonnes per annum in the initial phase, which will be further expanded to 15 lakh tonnes per annum. Spread over approximately 80 thousand square meters, this terminal is being equipped with modern technology.

Multimodal Cargo Hub: Confluence of road, air and rail connectivity

The airport is being developed as a multimodal cargo hub, where road, air and in future rail connectivity will facilitate transportation of goods. Fast and easy access from industries directly to the airport will be ensured through dedicated cargo routes.

Industries will get direct benefits: new impetus to exports

The electronics, manufacturing, e-commerce, warehousing and pharma sectors developing in the Yamuna Expressway area will benefit greatly from this cargo hub. The products made here will now be able to reach the international market faster, which will increase exports and reduce costs.

Supply chain will be strengthened: reduction in time and cost.

The dedicated cargo terminal and special routes will make the logistics process faster and easier. This will strengthen the supply chain and ensure timely delivery. Uttar Pradesh is rapidly moving towards “just-in-time” supply model, which will increase the confidence of global companies.

UP will become global trade gateway

Noida International Airport will bring Uttar Pradesh out of the 'landlocked' situation and directly connect it to the global trade network. This will boost export-import in the state and UP will emerge as a big logistics and trade hub.