5,000 jobs, new businesses, local hiring: NIAL outlines big boost from Noida International Airport

Noida International Airport

The upcoming Noida International Airport along the Yamuna Expressway will trigger major economic growth and create thousands of jobs in the region, Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) CEO R.K. Singh said on Thursday.

Singh said the airport project is expected to generate at least 5,000 direct jobs and open up new business opportunities across several sectors. “The project will not only boost economic activity but also ensure a structured recruitment and training framework, especially for project-affected families (PAFs),” he was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.

NIAL is a special purpose vehicle firm formed by the Uttar Pradesh government along with the Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities, and is responsible for implementing the entire airport project.

30+ companies onboard to build and run the airport

According to NIAL, the concessionaire Yamuna International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (YIAPL) has tied up with more than 30 major companies to develop and operate different parts of the airport ecosystem. These include Tata Projects, Travel Food Services, Indian Oil, Air India SATS, Bird Group and several others.

“These companies will create a wide range of technical, operational and commercial roles as the airport gets closer to becoming functional,” Singh said.

He added that all jobs will come with competitive salaries and full statutory benefits such as minimum wages, bonus, provident fund, ESI or employee compensation coverage, gratuity and paid leave.

Jobs for locals

To ensure that PAFs get priority access to job opportunities, NIAL, YIAPL and the district administration have launched a dedicated job portal where candidates can check vacancies and upload their resumes. So far, more than 180 PAF members have registered.

A joint committee with officials from NIAL, the district administration and YIAPL will monitor recruitment, training and grievance redressal.

Recruitment drives have already begun. YIAPL and partner firms have conducted three exclusive hiring drives for PAFs, on September 11, October 31 and December 2. Over 300 candidates participated, and 24 offer letters have been issued so far. More rounds are scheduled in the coming months.

Villagers’ protests and officials’ response

In recent months, youth from several affected villages have protested, alleging that they were promised permanent jobs during land acquisition but are now only being offered outsourced roles.

However, Singh said recruitment is being done strictly under government norms and through partner companies involved in airport operations, adding that all statutory benefits will be provided.

He added that the airport will open with a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per year, with expansion planned in later phases. YIAPL, a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, is developing the project under a 40-year concession.