LUCKNOW, Jan. 1 -- As the New Year begins, Jewar Airport, formally known as the Noida International Airport (NIA), is set to emerge as one of India's most anticipated aviation projects, with the landmark facility progressing towards its scheduled inauguration in January 2026. Developed as the country's first airport with 100% foreign direct investment (FDI), the project is expected to strengthen air connectivity for the National Capital Region and other parts of the country. Popularly known as Jewar Airport, the NIA is a greenfield project being developed in the Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district under the public private partnership (PPP) model. Spread across 1,334 hectares, the airport is being developed by Zurich International Airport AG, with the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) executing it. The Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, is implementing the project in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre. Work on the first phase of construction is nearing completion and includes a single runway and a passenger terminal designed to handle up to 12 million passengers annually. The runway is planned to be CAT III-compliant, allowing aircraft operations during low-visibility conditions such as dense fog, which is common in north India during winter. Once fully developed, the airport is planned to have six runways and six terminal buildings, with an annual passenger handling capacity of up to 300 million. The upcoming airport is expected to ease pressure on the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, which is already operating at its peak capacity of around 80 million passengers per year. Officials said the Jewar facility will not only cater to the national capital region (NCR) but also function as a major international gateway. Strategically located around 700 metres from the Yamuna Expressway, the airport will be connected to key road corridors, including the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, the Ganga Expressway and the Meerut-Prayagraj Expressway. The YEIDA, in collaboration with the central government, is working to integrate the airport with multiple transport systems. Plans include a rapid rail corridor, an extension of the Noida Metro and a Personal Rapid Transit system to enhance last-mile connectivity. On December 24, during the winter session of the UP assembly, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the NIA at Jewar would be inaugurated in January 2026 and would become the state's fifth international airport. At present, UP has 16 functional airports, including four international airports....