Noida: As Noida International Airport prepares for inauguration later this month, dozens of families who surrendered their land for the project have seen a crucial promise of jobs for their children remain unfulfilled.Hansraj Singh, a farmer from Dayanatpur village, gave up nearly 25 acres of farmland when the govt began acquiring land for the airport. Instead of taking the standard cash compensation of Rs 2,100 per sqm offered in phase 1, Singh opted for what officials described as a more secure future: employment for a member of his family.Years later, that promise has yet to materialise.“We were relocated to an R&R (rehabilitation and resettlement) colony in Jewar,” Singh said, referring to the resettlement housing built for displaced families. “My elder son works as an inspector in Delhi Police. My younger son is 40, has a diploma in civil engineering from the Industrial Training Institute, Pusa, and is still jobless. We chose a job instead of compensation, but it seems we settled for less.”Singh’s frustration is shared by many families displaced by the airport project, which received its aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the final regulatory clearance before flight operations can begin, on March 6.According to residents and local representatives, about 334 families chose employment over the compensation offered during the first two phases of land acquisition. Under the rehabilitation and resettlement plan, these families were to receive jobs linked to the airport project, primarily through its concessionaire, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, under the oversight of Noida International Airport Limited. “So far, those assurances have not translated into actual appointments,” Singh said.The airport project has required large tracts of land across villages in the Jewar area. Authorities acquired about 1,334 hectares in the first phase and another 1,365 hectares in the second phase. An additional 2,053 hectares are expected to be acquired during the third and fourth phases.In total, officials estimate that roughly 15,000 families have been displaced during the first two phases of land acquisition.For some residents, the wait for promised employment has shaped their career decisions.Saurabh Sharma, a resident of Banwaripur village, said his family lost nearly 10 acres of land when the project was launched in 2019. At the time, he had recently completed an MTech in automobile engineering.“They told us beneficiaries would get jobs,” Sharma said. “I waited for that opportunity instead of applying elsewhere. But the job never came.”Today, Sharma teaches at a private coaching institute, preparing students for competitive exams like NEET and JEE.Niraj Sharma, a resident of Rohi village, said his family’s 10-acre land was acquired in the first phase of the project. “I am pursuing an MSc in Mathematics from a government college. Under the rehabilitation and resettlement scheme, beneficiaries were supposed to get jobs,” he said.Sharma said officials called several youths for interviews in Sept last year. But when they reached the airport site, they found the hiring was being conducted by third-party vendors for contractual positions. “I was offered a helper’s job with a salary of Rs 15,000 a month, which I refused. We demanded employment directly through the concessionaire,” he said.Chand Mohammad, whose seven acres were acquired in Nangla Shareef village, said he had a similar experience. “I received an email for an interview last Sept. But when I reached the airport, I was told the job was through a vendor and not through YIAPL,” he said.Mohammad said he was offered a security guard’s position with a monthly salary of Rs 18,000, which he declined.Residents say they have also staged protests demanding jobs linked directly to the airport operator rather than private contractors. They argue that employment through YIAPL would ensure greater job security along with benefits such as provident fund contributions, medical insurance and other entitlements.Political representatives have begun pressing authorities to address the growing discontent. On Monday, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh met officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority to push for employment opportunities for the eligible beneficiaries. Providing jobs to families who surrendered land for the airport, Singh argued, is not a matter of generosity but obligation. “The farmers of Jewar gave their land for a project of national importance,” he said. “Their children should become direct beneficiaries of this development through jobs at the airport and related industries.”The MLA said that authorities had earlier proposed placing affected youths with private contractors, but residents pushed for positions directly with the airport operator for greater stability. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, mandates that govts ensure affected families receive skill training and employment opportunities, or the full compensation.Officials acknowledge that translating the promise into jobs has proven complicated. According to Yamuna Authority CEO RK Singh, many applicants currently lack the specialised skills required for aviation-sector roles. “Jobs such as pilots or cabin crew require specific qualifications,” the official said, adding that authorities are exploring positions like ground staff and other operational roles that match the educational backgrounds of displaced youths.For families like Singh’s, however, the debate over qualifications does little to ease the uncertainty. “We gave our land, which was our main livelihood, because we believed what we were told,” he said. “Now the airport is ready, but the promise made to us is still waiting.”
