Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said a request has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Noida International Airport at Jewar on March 28 and that the Prime Minister had been invited. He said Uttar Pradesh has significantly expanded air connectivity in recent years. He added that the airport is expected to give a major boost to the state's economy. The chief minister said the state currently has 16 domestic airports and four international airports and that an international airport is being developed at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district. The Noida International Airport is being developed under a public-private partnership model as a major greenfield project. It is intended to improve links between the National Capital Region, western Uttar Pradesh and significant domestic and international destinations. Officials said Noida International Airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann recently met the chief minister in Lucknow and presented the aerodrome licence issued by the Centre. In its first phase the airport will have one runway and a passenger terminal with an annual handling capacity of around 12 million (12 mn) passengers. The terminal will include 48 check-in counters, nine security screening lanes and nine immigration counters, along with domestic and international lounges. The terminal is reported to cover about 138,000 square metres and the initial infrastructure aims to cater to projected passenger growth in the region. Project developers have portrayed the airport as a catalyst for wider economic development and enhanced connectivity for businesses and travellers. The public-private partnership model has been highlighted as central to delivering the greenfield scheme. The chief minister estimated the airport would generate revenue of around Rs one trillion (Rs 1 tn) for the Uttar Pradesh Government and said this underlined the project's significance for state finances. Officials reiterated the invitation to the Prime Minister for the planned inauguration on March 28 and reaffirmed progress on regulatory clearances. The presentation of the aerodrome licence was cited as a step towards operationalisation.