DoT directs Noida Airport to grant RoW to telcos to deploy networks

The law aims to streamline and standardise the rollout of telecom infrastructure across public properties, a key enabler for improved connectivity and next-generation digital services.

• Noida Airport must grant Right of Way to telecom operators
• DoT clarifies airport is a public entity under Telecom Act 2023
• Move aims to streamline telecom network rollout at the airport

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The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the operator of Noida International Airport to grant Right of Way (RoW) permissions to telecom service providers, clarifying that the airport qualifies as a “public entity” under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and must comply with the statutory framework governing telecom infrastructure deployment.

In a letter dated February 19, 2026, the Ministry of Communications informed Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), which operates the Noida International Airport, that the obligations applicable to public entities under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024 extend to the airport. Moneycontrol has reviewed a copy of the letter.

The communication follows similar directions recently issued by the DoT to Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), asking it to permit telecom operators to deploy their own network infrastructure at the Navi Mumbai International Airport under the provisions of the new law.

The latest letter to YIAPL refers to earlier correspondence between the department and the airport operator in January. The DoT clarified that for the purposes of the Act and the rules framed under it, Noida International Airport falls within the definition of a public entity, thereby bringing it squarely within the regulatory regime governing the grant of RoW permissions.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023, read with the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024, provides a statutory framework for granting RoW permissions to facility providers, including licensed telecom service providers (TSPs), for the establishment, operation and maintenance of telecommunication networks.

Under this framework, public entities are required to process RoW applications in a non-discriminatory, fair and transparent manner, within prescribed timelines and conditions. The law aims to streamline and standardise the rollout of telecom infrastructure across public properties, a key enabler for improved connectivity and next-generation digital services.

“In view of the above, you are requested to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024 while processing applications for grant of RoW permissions within your premises,” the department said in the letter. It also directed the airport operator to take necessary steps to facilitate the establishment of telecom infrastructure in accordance with the statutory framework.

The clarification comes at a time when telecom operators are expanding 5G and future-ready networks in high-footfall public infrastructure such as airports. With the DoT’s directive, Noida International Airport will now be required to follow the same RoW norms applicable to other public authorities, potentially smoothing the rollout of telecom networks within its premises.