Noida: As Noida International Airport prepares for its inauguration, around 334 families who opted for employment instead of compensation during the first two phases of land acquisition are still awaiting jobs linked to the project.On Monday, a group of people affected by land acquisition staged a protest near the airport site in Jewar, demanding direct employment from the concessionaire. Protesters said they had been waiting for jobs promised during the land acquisition process, but were recently informed that employment would be provided through private vendors instead of the concessionaire.A resident of Banwaripur village, Saurabh Sharma, said his family lost 10 acres of land to the airport project in 2019. “Officials assured affected families that beneficiaries would receive job opportunities in return. I have been waiting for employment since then, but it has not materialised. Now, officials say jobs will be offered through contractors. We want stable employment directly with the concessionaire, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL),” he said.Sharma, who holds an MTech in automobile engineering, said a meeting with airport officials was held on Feb 23 and was attended by police personnel and local MLA Dhirendra Singh. “During the meeting, we were assured that the concessionaire would provide jobs, but there has been no update since then,” he said.Another protester, Chand Mohammad from Nangla Shareef village, said, several job seekers gathered outside the airport gate despite the heat. “Officials are offering employment through private contractors, which means lower pay, less stability and no benefits such as provident fund or medical coverage. We will continue our protest until our demands are met,” he said.Under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, govts are required to ensure that families affected by land acquisition receive skill training and employment opportunities or full compensation.A Yamuna Authority official said the Act does not mandate that employment must be provided directly by the concessionaire. “It is not possible for the concessionaire to hire all candidates directly. For example, pilots and cabin crew will be hired by airline companies, not the concessionaire. Around 70 private companies are operating from the airport and are willing to offer employment opportunities, but some candidates are not willing to work through private firms,” the official said.The official added that it was agreed that no candidate would be removed from employment without the approval of Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL).The protest was called off after NIAL officials reached the site in the evening and assured protesters that their grievances would be addressed.During the first two phases of land acquisition, about 334 families opted for employment instead of monetary compensation. Of these, 181 have applied for jobs so far.Authorities acquired around 1,334 hectares of land in the first phase of the airport project and another 1,365 hectares in the second phase. An additional 2,053 hectares are expected to be acquired in the third and fourth phases.
