Noida Airport rapid rail delayed, possibly post-2041

The approval for a rapid rail corridor connecting the Noida International Airport (NIA) with Delhi and other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) has been granted by the Uttar Pradesh government. It has been decided that the proposed route will extend from the Ghaziabad rapid rail station on the Delhi-Meerut line. Although this move contributes to the overall connectivity plan for the new airport, it should be noted that it is currently a long-term strategy. The approved proposal outlines the completion of the 72.3 km rapid rail corridor to NIA by the year 2041. Despite the fact that the Noida airport is scheduled to launch at the end of 2024, the establishment of a rapid rail link for the NIA addresses the significant issue of seamless transportation between the NIA and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, albeit as a long-term solution. The NIA corridor is designed to diverge from the Delhi-Meerut rapid rail line, which is in the process of construction and is anticipated to be operational by 2025, starting at Ghaziabad station. The proposal, formulated by the NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the entity overseeing rapid rail operations, envisions the incorporation of 12 stations along the Ghaziabad-NIA link. Once trains commence operations on this route, passengers will have the convenience of reaching Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, the origin point of the Delhi-Meerut line. Additionally, the proposed Delhi-Haryana rapid rail corridor, connecting Gurgaon and featuring a station at IGI, will also commence from Sarai Kale Khan. Upon its operationalisation, this rapid rail network will establish connectivity between both NCR airports.