Lucknow/ Noida, June 16 -- "Growing up, we never thought we would one day fly from the very land where we used to cultivate crops," Iqbal Khan. He was among the 170 farmers whose land was acquired for the airport project and was onboard one of the first flights from the new Noida International Airport in Jewar, where commercial operations finally kicked off on Monday. The inaugural IndiGo flight (6E 2278) departed from Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow, at 7.55am and landed at Jewar at 8.45am. The Airbus A320 flight carried 182 passengers, including actor and entrepreneur Gul Panag. The return flight at 10.30am carried the farmers to Lucknow, where they met Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, marking a symbolic recognition of their role in the project. Welcoming them, the CM reflected on Jewar's transformation from a largely agrarian region into an emerging aviation, logistics and industrial hub. "Opportunities come only once; those who recognise them become part of history," he said. Adityanath said farmers of UP would now be able to connect their fruits, vegetables, grains and other produce to global markets through the cargo airport and cargo facilities being developed at Noida International Airport. "This is just the beginning. Jewar has now written its name in history," said the CM, adding that youth will be trained and prepared for emerging aviation and industrial opportunities. The airport, spread over 1,300 hectares in Jewar, will handle about 12 million passengers annually in its first phase....