Navi Mumbai Airport to Boost Mumbai’s Global Aviation Status
The domestic aviation sector is all set for another significant milestone. A new airport is set to become operational in Mumbai, the financial capital of the country. This is the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). This newly developed airport will be dedicated to the nation by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8. Even after the inauguration of Navi Mumbai International Airport, the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will continue to operate. Following the inauguration on October 8, airlines will gradually begin their services from the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Leading airlines like Indigo, along with Air India and Akasa Airlines, have expressed their readiness to start services from this airport. Domestic as well as international services will begin from here.
In the PPP model, Adani Airport Holdings and the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) jointly developed this project. It is well-known that the Mumbai International Airport project was initially under GVK. During the UPA regime, GVK won this project, but due to several developments, a CBI case was registered, alleging a ₹705 crore scam involving GVK. Following this, GVK sold a 74% stake in the airport project to Adani Airport Holdings. Interestingly, after this, the CBI concluded that no corruption occurred in the GVK project. The Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed over approximately 2,900 acres of land.
Once this airport becomes operational, Mumbai will join international cities like London, New York, and Tokyo, which have two airports. On September 30, the Navi Mumbai Airport received a crucial Aerodrome License from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This license was issued after thoroughly checking the security standards and other regulatory criteria. In the first phase, this airport has one terminal and one runway, with the capacity to handle 20 million passengers annually. In the future, there will be four terminals and two runways at the airport. As a result, the combined annual capacity of the two airports, Navi Mumbai and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, is expected to reach 155 million passengers. The Navi Mumbai International Airport is also set to emerge as a cargo hub. A fully automated, AI-based terminal has been prepared at the airport for cargo operations.
