In Ghaziabad, 7 acres of land near Hindon air base is about to start flight operations for the civilians from the Indian Air Force (IAF) facility, which will essentially render it into the second airport in the Delhi-NCR which will be used for commercial flights.
To lessen the heavy burden faced by the Delhi’s IGI airport; the civil aviation ministry is looking to use the Hindon Air base- housing the IAF’s heavy lift transport aircraft Globemaster- as a supplementary facility till the completion of Jewar International Airport in Greater Noida.
The Air force had agreed in August to allow the use of the air base for civilian flights under the government’s regional connectivity scheme (RCS).
The area on which the government intends to construct the infrastructure for flights is in Sikandarpur village, next to the base’s perimeter wall. A separate gate for passengers and a seating area will be developed in this part, Authorities said. The existing runway can be used by the Passenger Flights. The Hindon air base is approximately 10 km from Dilshad Garden Metro Station on the red line of the DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation).
The Officials of the Airport Authority of India, the air force and Ghaziabad administration recently examined the Sikandarpur site. Ghaziabad DM Ritu Maheshwari said, “Two sites were surveyed but Sikandarpur village was found to be suitable and there is in-principle agreement to use it for developing civilian infrastructure,”.