The biggest hurdle that TIAH is facing is the Government of India rule which does not permit a second airport within 150 kilometres of aerial distance of an existing one. Incidentally, the Government of India has recently given green signal to Navi Mumbai airport outside Mumbai due to growing traffic there.

The Jewar airport, falling under Gautam Buddh Nagar district, is in the east of Delhi. The Rs 5,000 crore project requiring 1,500 hectares of land is to be developed on Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Speaking to The Indian Express, officials of UP Industry Department blamed the Centre’s dilly-dallying attitude for increasing the cost of the project. “Despite getting the techno-feasibility approval in 2003, the future of the project still hangs in balance,” said the officials.