Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya and others during the inauguration of the first phase of the Noida International Airport at Jewar, in Gautam Buddh Nagar district.
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The inauguration of Noida International Airport’s phase I in the Jewar township of Greater Noida by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday marked a new milestone in the National Capital Region’s aviation landscape.

The project is expected to usher in a new phase of integrated, airport-led urban development in the NCR.

As per industry experts, it signals the emergence of the “aerotropolis” model, where airports function as economic hubs driving connectivity, investment, and urban expansion.

The airport becomes the third aviation hub in the NCR after Indira Gandhi International Airport and Hindon Airport, strengthening the region’s multi-airport system.

Video Credit: Businessline

At the inauguration ceremony, large crowds gathered in Jewar in attendence , reflecting strong public interest.

Residents, industry representatives, and officials attended in significant numbers with many travelling from nearby districts.

Among them, Sachin Mehra, a 19-year-old attendee, highlighted employment opportunities expected from the project, particularly in aviation, ground handling, technical services, and hospitality.

Video Credit: Businessline

Meanwhile, Kamal Devgan, a resident of Greater Noida, said the airport would ease travel significantly, reducing dependence on Delhi’s airport, which is nearly 100 kilometres away for many passengers.

For large parts of western Uttar Pradesh, it will reduce dependence on distant hubs while easing congestion at Delhi’s existing airport infrastructure.

Beyond the inauguration, experts emphasised its wider economic significance.

Speaking to businessline from Mumbai, Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Senior Director and Global Head (Consulting) at CRISIL Market Intelligence & Analytics, the airport marks a structural shift from a single-airport dependency model to a multi-airport aviation system in the NCR.

He said this shift will enhance capacity, resilience, and accessibility, particularly for eastern NCR and western Uttar Pradesh. He added that the airport is supported by strong infrastructure linkages, including the Yamuna Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, and connectivity to the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway.

Accordingly, this integration is enabling the development of an aerotropolis, with early signs visible in logistics hubs, industrial clusters, and manufacturing zones across the region

In addition., Kiran Jain, Chief Operating Officer of Noida International Airport, said airports act as catalysts for regional economies by driving employment, trade, and investment beyond their immediate boundaries.

She added that such infrastructure attracts industries and strengthens surrounding economic ecosystems through improved global connectivity.

Furthermore, the airport is also expected to improve access to key tourism and pilgrimage destinations, including Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, and the Buddhist circuit, supporting regional tourism growth.

Notably, construction of the airport began in 2022 and has progressed over 37 months. The project involved more than 22.5 lakh tonnes of aggregates, over 22,000 tonnes of reinforcement steel, 14,000 tonnes of structural steel, and around 2.8 lakh cubic metres of concrete.

The project recorded over 80 million man-hours without any serious injury, reflecting strong safety standards.

Designed to handle millions of passengers annually in its initial phase, the airport is expected to expand significantly over time. 

In its first phase, the airport — with one runway and one terminal — will have the capacity to handle around 12 million passengers annually.

However, commercial operations will not begin immediately. After approval of the Airport Security Programme, it is expected to take approximately 30–45 days for the first domestic flight to commence. International operations are likely to follow a few months after domestic services are launched.

The inauguration follows the airport securing security clearance from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and receiving an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Published on March 28, 2026

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the media after releasing a ‘charge sheet’ against the TMC government, in Kolkata, West Bengal
| Photo Credit:
Swapan Mahapatra

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who released the BJP’s “charge sheet” against the Trinamool Congress government ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, on Saturday emphasised that the upcoming polls would be a choice between “fear and trust,” framing it as a battle not merely for the State, but for the country’s security because of illegal infiltrators.

The “charge sheet” highlighted 15 years of “oppression, corruption and bad governance” of the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal.

“Bengal has to choose between fear and trust. For the last 15 years, politics of fear and corruption have been going on. Mamata Banerjee has created a new way of politics by using lies and violence. BJP has been fighting against this. I believe this time our party will form the government in the State,” Shah said, addressing a press conference in Kolkata.

The Union Home Minister said security of the entire country is inextricably linked to the outcome of the Bengal elections. “Only one route remains through which infiltrators enter the country, compromising national security. Therefore, the Bengal election is vital for Bengal in many respects,” he said, alleging that the Trinamool Congress government in Bengal openly facilitated infiltration and thus, it is obvious that the State has highest number of such people.

Shah said one of the objectives of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls of the State is to “remove” the names of infiltrators who were wrongly registered as voters which resulted in an “artificial demographic change”.

On the SIR issue, the BJP leader took a dig at Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, for attacking the Election Commission.

“SIR is happening across the entire country, yet nowhere else did judicial officers have to be deployed — only in Bengal. What is the reason for this? Mamata Banerjee should answer this to the people of Bengal. She is levelling allegations against SIR; however, today I wish to ask the people of Bengal: should those infiltrators who have been kept here be allowed to decide the future of Bengal?,” he added.

Hitting back Amit Shah and the BJP, Mamata Banerjee asserted that the saffron party would lose power across the country in its attempt to destroy West Bengal.

“By attempting to destroy Bengal, the BJP will lose power across the country. There must be a Lakshman Rekha, but the BJP is crossing all limits.” the Trinamool Congress supremo said, while addressing a poll rally in Raniganj in Paschim Bardhaman district.

“If the BJP comes to power in the State, they will use bulldozers and throw everyone out,” she claimed, accusing the Election Commission of working at the behest of the BJP to “delete” voters’ names through the SIR of electoral rolls.

Published on March 28, 2026

Arvind SmartSpaces Ltd (ASL) has moved to deepen employee ownership and align long-term incentives with shareholder value, with its newly created ESOP trust acquiring nearly 1 per cent stake in the company through secondary market purchases.

In a regulatory filing with the BSE Ltd and National Stock Exchange of India, the company said the ASL ESOP Trust purchased 4,58,670 equity shares from the open market on March 27, 2026.

The transaction follows shareholder approval received earlier this month for implementing the ‘Arvind SmartSpaces Limited – Employee Stock Option Scheme 2025’ and the ‘Arvind Infrastructure Limited Employee Stock Option Plan 2016’ through an irrevocable employee welfare trust, along with the submission of the trust deed in line with regulatory requirements.

The company described the formalisation of ESOPs via the trust route as a significant step towards building a high-performance, ownership-driven organisation, with closer alignment between employee interests and long-term shareholder value creation.

“The formalisation of our ESOP Trust is a key step in our evolution as a professionally managed, growth-focused organisation. We believe that vesting our employees with ownership will not only enhance engagement and performance but also foster a deeper sense of belonging and long-term commitment to the Company’s vision,” stated Kulin Lalbhai. The ESOP trust is also expected to support organisational depth and leadership bandwidth as the company scales its operations.

Notably, the ESOP-related move comes shortly after a promoter-led acquisition of around four per cent stake from the secondary market, which increased promoter shareholding in the company from 49.83 per cent to about 53.83 per cent. The back-to-back transactions signal continued promoter confidence in the company’s fundamentals and growth trajectory.

From a structural standpoint, the trust route offers distinct advantages for both employees and shareholders. Employees benefit from a cashless exercise mechanism, enabling them to realise ESOP value without upfront payment of exercise price or taxes, ensuring smoother and faster settlement.

For shareholders, the secondary market acquisition by the trust eliminates the need for fresh equity issuance, thereby avoiding dilution and any impact on earnings per share.

Published on March 28, 2026