Hindon airport braces for flyer surge ahead of new routes’ launch

The Hindon civil airport is set to witness a significant surge in passenger footfall as new flights to Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Goa commence on March 1 and 2, officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. The airport, which currently handles around 120 passengers daily, is expected to see a five- to six-fold increase in traffic with the addition of these routes, officials said. 

To prepare for the rise in passengers, a meeting of the airport advisory committee was held on Friday to discuss infrastructure improvements, officials said. The committee, chaired by Ghaziabad MP Atul Garg, includes officials from various departments, they added. 

At present, the Hindon civil airport, located at Sikandarpur near the Hindon airbase, operates flights to Adampur, Nanded, Kishangarh, Ludhiana, and Bathinda. These routes are serviced by two private airlines using 80-seater and 20-seater aircraft. However, the new flights to Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Goa will deploy 186-seater aircraft, significantly increasing capacity. 

“At present, we have a footfall of about 120 passengers per day, and this is expected to rise by about 5–6 times when three new routes start in March,” said Umesh Yadav, airport director. He added that the AAI has sought the resolution of several civic infrastructure issues, including better signage, improved last-mile connectivity, and upgrades to sewage and drainage systems. 

“We apprised the committee about the expansion plans and have sought resolution of several issues related to civic infrastructure, the provision of more signage for passengers, and also improving the last mile connectivity to the civil airport,” Yadav added.

More routes on the horizon 

MP Atul Garg said that the expansion of the airport is in the pipeline, with proposals for new routes to Ayodhya, Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Varanasi. “AAI officials have informed us that they have forwarded our proposal to private airlines. We expect a further surge in passenger numbers once these routes are operational,” Garg added. 

He emphasised the growing demand for flights to Ayodhya and Varanasi, particularly after a rise in pilgrimage traffic last year. “Lucknow remains a key destination due to its status as the state capital, with frequent official and business travellers,” he said. 

According to AAI officials, the new Kolkata flight will arrive at Hindon and continue to Goa before returning to Kolkata the same day. Similarly, the Bengaluru flight will operate as a same-day return service. 

The civil terminal at Hindon started operations in October 2019 under the regional connectivity scheme, using the Hindon airbase runway while passengers board and de-board from the adjacent terminal. The airport, approximately 25 km from New Delhi, is accessible via the Hindon elevated road, the Anand Vihar–Mohan Nagar link road, and Metro stations. It will gain direct connectivity to the Sahibabad RRTS station in June 2025 when Namo Bharat trains become fully operational.