Yamuna Expressway’s Next Real Estate Wave: Film City, AI Hub and Noida Airport

For the better part of a decade, Yamuna Expressway property was a bet on what the corridor might become. Investors bought plots and apartments here knowing they were early, trusting that the infrastructure would eventually arrive.

In 2026, it has arrived. Noida International Airport opened on 28 March. The Film City at YEIDA Sector 21 is in active construction. And a Rs 2.2 lakh crore AI data center has received its Letter of Intent from YEIDA for land in Sectors 28 and 8D.

Three catalysts. Three different timelines. Each one is reshaping the Yamuna Expressway property market in a different way and for a different type of buyer.

Key Takeaways

• Noida International Airport inaugurated by PM Modi on 28 March 2026; Phase 1 capacity of 12 million passengers annually, operated by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a Zurich Airport International subsidiary (Wikipedia, March 2026)
  
• Film City at YEIDA Sector 21: 1,000 acres, Rs 1,510 crore investment, led by Bayview Projects LLP (Boney Kapoor and Bhutani Group); Phase 1 covers 230 acres with core studio and film institute infrastructure (YEIDA-Bebu Project LLP agreement, June 2024)
  
• AI and HPC hub by AM Green Group: 1 GW capacity, Rs 2.2 lakh crore investment, 289 acres across Sectors 28 and 8D; Phase 1 (350 MW) targeted for 2028 (Square Yards, June 2026)
  
• No price figures cited in this piece — the corridor has seen meaningful appreciation, but per-sqft data varies significantly across sources and micro-markets; consult a verified advisor before making a purchase decision

1. Noida International Airport: The Catalyst That Is Already Operational

The airport is not a future promise anymore. Commercial flights have been operating since late June 2026, with IndiGo as the inaugural carrier and Akasa Air following the next day. By July 2026, the airport was connecting 16 cities across 11 states, with international routes planned for later in the year.

Phase 1 infrastructure includes one runway, a terminal designed for 12 million passengers annually, and a cargo hub operated by Air India SATS (AISATS) with an initial handling capacity of over 250,000 metric tons of freight. The airport sits near KM 35 on the Yamuna Expressway, accessible by road. Metro and RRTS links are in the planning pipeline but not yet operational.

For buyers evaluating the corridor, the airport’s operational status changes the nature of demand. The speculative phase, where prices rose on anticipation alone, has given way to actual employment and footfall. Airport staff, logistics workers, hospitality employees, and aviation support professionals are beginning to generate real rental demand in nearby sectors.

YEIDA Sectors 18, 20, 22D, and 25 sit closest to the airport zone and are seeing the most direct residential interest. Buyers evaluating property on Yamuna Expressway in these sectors are dealing with a market that now has operational infrastructure behind it, not just a project announcement.

A planned 14.6 km pod taxi corridor linking the Film City to the airport via 12 stops will further improve internal connectivity once operational. The 31.42 km Delhi-Jewar elevated expressway and a Delhi-Jewar RRTS corridor targeting roughly a 21-minute travel time from central Delhi are also in the works, though both are still in construction or approval stages.

2. Film City Yamuna Expressway: Entertainment Infrastructure at Scale

The Film City Yamuna Expressway project is the corridor’s second major catalyst, and it is the one that most directly diversifies the employment base.

The project occupies 1,000 acres in YEIDA Sector 21, approximately 4 km from Noida International Airport. It is being developed by Bayview Projects LLP, a partnership between film producer Boney Kapoor and the Bhutani Group, under a June 2024 agreement with YEIDA. Total investment is Rs 1,510 crore, with an 8-year buildout plan.

Phase 1 covers 230 acres: 155 acres for studio and production infrastructure and 75 acres for commercial development. Facilities planned for Phase 1 include 14 high-tech sound stages, an underwater shooting studio, a film institute with VR labs and post-production suites, a film museum, and convention and hospitality facilities. Phase 1 core construction is targeted for completion within three years of the agreement, which puts the timeline at around 2027.

The employment projections are significant. Research cited by RH Dream Homes (2025) estimates 50,000 direct jobs and 500,000 indirect employment opportunities once the Film City is fully operational. Whether those figures materialize at that scale will depend on execution, but even a fraction of that employment base would generate substantial rental and residential demand in the surrounding sectors.

What the Film City Yamuna Expressway project does, more than any other single development, is widen the demand base. Property near the airport corridor will not only attract aviation professionals. It will also draw media professionals, film technicians, hospitality staff, and students from the film institute. That is a meaningfully broader rental market than airport-only demand.

For buyers looking at residential plots in YEIDA Sector 21, 22D, and adjacent sectors, the Film City’s proximity and phased construction schedule are worth factoring into the investment horizon.

3. AI Data Center Noida: The Long-Horizon Play

The AI data center Noida announcement is the most recent and the longest-dated of the three catalysts.

Hyderabad-based AM Green Group has received a Letter of Intent from YEIDA for 289 acres across Sectors 28 and 8D, with plans to develop a 1 gigawatt AI and high-performance computing hub. The total investment stands at Rs 2.2 lakh crore, placing it among the largest digital infrastructure investments announced in India.

Development is phased. Phase 1, with 350 MW of compute capacity, is targeted for 2028. The full 1 GW facility is planned for 2030. That means employment and commercial activity from this project are genuinely 4-6 years away.

Square Yards noted in June 2026 that the AI data center Noida announcement, while significant, is unlikely to drive near-term property appreciation on its own. That is the right framing. Data centers employ relatively few people directly compared to their investment size, and the downstream commercial activity they generate takes time to develop.

Where this project matters for real estate investors is in the longer arc of the corridor. It adds a third distinct economic sector, alongside aviation and entertainment, to the Yamuna Expressway employment mix. Over a 7-10 year horizon, that kind of multi-sector economic base supports sustained demand across residential, commercial, and office real estate in ways that a single-catalyst corridor cannot.

Industrial land investors and commercial real estate buyers should keep Sectors 28 and 8D on their radar, while understanding that this is not a near-term yield story.

4. What This Means Across Property Segments

Residential – Demand is shifting from speculative to end-user driven. The airport is already generating rental interest. Film City employment will add to that as construction progresses. For buyers considering plots near Jewar Airport, YEIDA authority-allocated plots in Sectors 18, 20, and 22D offer the most direct exposure to this demand. Sector 150, Noida, gives buyers a more established township setting with proximity to the corridor.

Commercial and Retail – Office space, co-working, hospitality, and retail along the corridor will develop as employment clusters take shape. This is a medium-term segment. Buyers looking at commercial assets should plan for a 3-7 year horizon before meaningful occupancy builds.

Industrial and Warehousing – This is the most immediate opportunity after residential. The airport cargo terminal creates direct demand for warehousing, cold storage, and last-mile logistics in the YEIDA industrial zone. Buyers evaluating industrial property in Greater Noida and the YEIDA corridor will find this segment has active demand right now, not in 5 years.

5. Locations to Watch: A Quick Reference

6. Risks Worth Understanding Before You Invest

The structural case for this corridor is strong. That does not mean every project in every pocket carries the same risk profile.

Metro and RRTS links to the airport are planned but not yet operational. Until they are in place, the corridor relies on road access, and commute times to central Delhi can be significant during peak hours.

Film City and the AI data center are under construction and in early-stage planning respectively. Employment from both is 3-8 years away. Buyers who are pricing in fully materialised demand from these projects should be clear-eyed about the holding period that implies.

Some micro-markets along the corridor have already seen substantial appreciation over the past three to four years. In those pockets, the current pricing may already reflect optimistic scenarios. Doing a careful comparison between asking prices and recent actual transaction values before buying is important.

Developer credibility and project-level due diligence remain essential regardless of sector. RERA registration, title clarity, construction progress, and layout approvals all need verification before committing to any purchase.

The Yamuna Expressway is no longer a corridor that investors are betting will develop. It is developing. The airport is flying. The Film City is under construction. The AI data center has its land allocation. What matters now is matching the right property type and location to the right timeline within that broader story.

Buniyad Realty has been advising buyers and investors across Noida, Greater Noida, and the Yamuna Expressway corridor for 39+ years. If you want to evaluate verified options based on your budget, target sector, and investment horizon, our team is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yamuna Expressway property a good investment in 2026?

The corridor has strong structural fundamentals in 2026, with the airport now operational and both Film City and the AI data center

adding to the long-term employment base. That said, micro-market conditions vary significantly. Some sectors have already seen substantial price appreciation. Buyers should evaluate specific projects, verify documentation, and have a clear holding horizon before committing.

How does the Film City Yamuna Expressway project affect property prices?

The Film City is expected to generate 50,000 direct and 500,000 indirect jobs once fully operational. That level of employment would materially widen the rental demand base in YEIDA Sectors 21, 22D, and surrounding areas. Phase 1 core construction is targeted around 2027. Near-term appreciation from the Film City depends on construction progress, not just the announcement.

What is the AI data center coming to Noida?

AM Green Group has received a Letter of Intent from YEIDA for 289 acres in Sectors 28 and 8D to develop a 1 gigawatt AI and high-performance computing hub at an investment of Rs 2.2 lakh crore. Phase 1 (350 MW) is targeted for 2028, with the full facility by 2030. This is a long-horizon catalyst and is unlikely to affect near-term residential property prices significantly.

Which YEIDA sectors are closest to Noida International Airport?

YEIDA Sectors 18, 20, 22D, and 25 are among the sectors closest to the airport zone. Sector 21 hosts the Film City site, which is approximately 4 km from the airport terminal. These sectors are seeing the most direct residential and plotted land demand as airport operations normalise.

Should I buy a plot or an apartment on the Yamuna Expressway?

Plots in YEIDA authority-allocated sectors offer freehold land ownership and have historically appreciated well in emerging corridors. Apartments in developer projects suit buyers who want modern amenities and professional property management. The right choice depends on your budget, holding period, and whether you intend to use the property or invest. In either case, RERA registration and title verification are non-negotiable.

Also Read: Yamuna Expressway Property: Is Buying a Plot Still a Smart Investment in 2026?