The first validation test flight for the upcoming Noida International Airport was conducted successfully on Monday, with an Airbus 320 of IndiGo receiving a ceremonial water cannon salute upon the maiden landing at the greenfield facility, officials said.
The airport is being built in the Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, some 75 km off Delhi and will be the national capital region's second international airport after the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Concessionaire Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Swiss firm Zurich International Airport AG, is building the airport for the Uttar Pradesh government in a public-private partnership model.
A validation flight is conducted to verify that an airport meets safety, operational, and regulatory standards and is a vital element of the aerodrome licensing process.
At the event, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said, "With the validation flight happening today, we are committed to finishing the airport project before the end of April."
"Today marks a very important occasion in the progress of the airport and definitely whatever support is required from the Ministry of Civil Aviation we will continuously provide so that the early operations from the airport can begin," he said.
Naidu noted that this project has so far had 50 million man-hours and not a single incident has happened.
"I don't think any other project in the country of such scale can boast of that record so I congratulate the whole team who has made this possible," the minister said.
Noida International Airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann said the successful completion of validation flights reflects the dedication and meticulous planning that has gone into ensuring the airport is ready for commercial operations.
"We are gearing up for the airport's opening and look forward to welcoming passengers to the airport," he added. -- PTI