Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of holding back the Noida International Airport project for years, and said it was completed only after BJP governments came to power at both the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking after inaugurating Phase I of the airport at Jewar, he said the project had remained stuck for a long time and moved forward only under what he called a “double-engine BJP government”.
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Project delay, ‘double-engine’ push and political attack
The Prime Minister said the airport was first cleared during the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, but saw little progress for years. He claimed that between 2004 and 2014, the project did not move ahead and stayed “on paper”.
“This airport was approved on file during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2003. Since then, many children born after that would now be adults, and many people who were in their 20s or 30s at that time are retired today — yet the airport was not built,” he said.
He further said that even after the Centre changed, work could not begin immediately as the Samajwadi Party was in power in Uttar Pradesh. According to him, the situation changed only when the BJP governments took charge both in Delhi and Lucknow, after which the foundation was laid, and construction began.
“For years, when the Congress was in power at the Centre and earlier governments were in power here, even laying the foundation stone of this airport was not allowed. From 2004 to 2014, this airport remained buried in files. When our government came to power at the Centre, Uttar Pradesh still had a Samajwadi Party government, which did not allow work on this project during the initial two to three years,” he further said.
Calling the airport an example of the BJP’s work model, PM Modi said such projects show how coordinated governance can speed up development.
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‘Noida changed from neglect to growth engine’
Taking a swipe at previous governments, the Prime Minister said Noida was once treated as a place for “looting”, but is now emerging as a major driver of growth in Uttar Pradesh.
“Earlier, the Samajwadi Party had turned Noida into an ATM of looting. But today, under the BJP government, the same Noida is becoming a strong engine of Uttar Pradesh’s development,” the Prime Minister said in Jewar.
He also referred to the long-standing “Noida jinx”, a belief that chief ministers who visit the city lose power, and said such fears had kept leaders away earlier. He recalled that even during a previous visit, the then chief minister did not attend due to this perception.
“Earlier, due to superstition, Noida was ignored by the previous governments. When I had planned to visit Nodia during the then SP government’s tenure, the CM was so scared that he did not attend the event. Some people even warned me against it, but I told them that I was going to take the blessings of this land that would give me the opportunity to serve for a long time. Now, the very place is ready to welcome the entire world. This is strengthening the vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’,” he said.
PM Modi said the region has now moved beyond such thinking and is ready to connect with the world through projects like the airport.
Connectivity push and broader development pitch
Highlighting infrastructure expansion, the Prime Minister said major projects such as freight corridors meeting at Dadri, metro connectivity, and rapid rail services are strengthening the region.
He added that the Jewar airport will link northern India to global routes, while also supporting the broader vision of an “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
PM Modi also pointed to the growth in aviation infrastructure, saying India now has over 160 airports compared to 74 before 2014. He said schemes like UDAN have made air travel accessible to millions, including people from smaller towns.