Noida/Lucknow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Noida International Airport in Jewar, turning the formal ceremony into a participatory event for thousands of people present at the venue.

While the inauguration ceremony held in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh followed the usual protocol, Modi added an interactive touch to his address, drawing enthusiastic response from the crowd. Beginning his speech with chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai", the prime minister asked the gathering whether the inauguration had been completed.

When the crowd responded in the affirmative, he said, "No, only half the work has been done. I have only unveiled the plaque. I want all of you present here to complete the inauguration."

The remark was met with loud cheers.

He then asked people to take out their mobile phones and switch on the flashlight, saying, "By lighting this lamp, each one of you is inaugurating this airport. This is your asset, your future, your effort."

Within moments, thousands of attendees lit up the venue with their phone flashlights, creating a striking visual as they collectively participated in what the prime minister described as completing the inauguration.

After the exercise, Modi smiled and said, "Now the inauguration is complete."

The gathering included people carrying posters and banners, while many waved the BJP flag and the national tricolour. A large number of students, industrialists, real estate stakeholders, local farmers and villagers were also present at the event.

Apart from Modi, the programme was attended by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, and Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, among others.

The first phase of the greenfield airport project, spread over more than 1,300 hectares, includes one runway and one terminal building with an annual passenger handling capacity of 12 million.

The project, initiated in 2019 under a public-private partnership model by the Uttar Pradesh government, was awarded to Switzerland-based Zurich Airport International AG, with construction carried out by its local subsidiary, Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd.

Modi had laid the foundation stone of the airport's first phase in 2021 and inaugurated it on Saturday.

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During the event, the prime minister also thanked local farmers for their contribution in making land available for the project.

Aviation minister Naidu and Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed gratitude to farmers and villagers in their respective addresses.