UP Cabinet approves Zurich Airport International as developer for Jewar airport

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Monday approved Zurich Airport International as a developer for Jewar airport, a senior UP government official said. Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Awasthi confirmed the development, saying, "The Cabinet has approved Zurich Airport International as a developer for Jewar airport." After the Cabinet briefing, state minister Siddharth Nath Singh told reporters, "Four bids had come for the airport. On the basis of the weighted average, Zurich Airport International was chosen. It will give Rs 406 per passenger to the government which is the highest."

"We are of the view that the construction work for Jewar airport will begin in February next year," he added.

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The UP minister said that Niti Aayog has also praised this project. The development came a week after an Uttar Pradesh government panel recommended the selection of Zurich Airport International AG as the developer for the Jewar airport, touted to be the biggest airport in India. The project monitoring and implementation committee (PMIC) for the upcoming Greenfield International Airport in Lucknow made the recommendation to the state government, officials had earlier said.

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"A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to the UP government. The PMIC has recommended the highest bidder Zurich Airport as the preferred bidder to the state government," Nodal officer for the airport project Shailendra Bhatia had told PTI on December 2. The Swiss firm had on November 29 emerged as the highest bidder to develop the Jewar airport on the outskirts of Delhi, outbidding competitors like Adani Enterprises, DIAL and Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holding.

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