MUMBAI– Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the long-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport on October 8, marking the debut of the Mumbai region’s second international aviation hub.
Developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the project is spearheaded by Mumbai International Airport Ltd. — a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Ltd. — which holds a 74 percent stake. The remaining 26 percent is owned by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd. (CIDCO).
The state-of-the-art airport, which recently received its aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will cater to both domestic and international travelers. It features a 3,700-meter runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, advanced passenger terminals, and cutting-edge air traffic control systems.
In its first phase of operations, the airport is expected to handle 20 million passengers annually and help decongest Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Located strategically within 14 kilometers of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and 22 kilometers from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area in Taloja, the facility will also serve key logistics and industrial corridors across western India.
Major carriers including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express have already announced plans to begin operations from the new airport, connecting Mumbai to multiple domestic destinations.
The airport’s 0.5 million metric tonne-per-year cargo terminal will be fully automated and equipped with a semi-automated material handling system, real-time shipment tracking, truck management, and a digital cargo community system, ensuring cashless and paperless operations.
Spanning 1,160 hectares — nearly twice the size of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport — the Navi Mumbai facility will be developed in multiple phases. Once fully operational, it is projected to accommodate up to 90 million passengers annually and handle over 3.2 million metric tonnes of cargo. (Source: IANS)
