Navi Mumbai airport gets aerodrome license from DGCA ahead of inauguration

The DGCA’s aerodrome licence permits an airport to commence operations after meeting all safety and regulatory standards

MUMBAI: Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Tuesday issued the aerodrome licence to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), the upcoming second airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.

Navi Mumbai International Airport receives its aerodrome licence from DGCA Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. (X/navimumairport)

The aerodrome licence, which was handed over by director general of civil aviation Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on Tuesday, represents a key step in NMIA’s progress towards becoming fully operational, a spokesperson for NMIA said.

The airport is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October.

“With the Aerodrome Licence now in place, NMIA moves closer to its vision of enhancing regional and international connectivity and establishing a modern gateway that will link Navi Mumbai with the rest of the world,’’ the spokesperson said.

NMIA, which is owned jointly by Adani Airports and City Industrial Development Corporation, applied for the aerodrome licence in late February. Kidwai and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) chief, Vipin Kumar, visited the airport in March.

An initial DGCA report had listed about 200 obstacles around the airport, including tall trees and cell phone transmission towers, that needed to be resolved before the licence could be granted. The aviation regulator, which had conducted test flights, had also sought some changes to the approaches.

In the airport’s initial phase, Air India Express — Air India’s low-cost carrier — will operate 20 daily flights connecting 15 Indian cities. The airline plans to scale up to 55 daily departures, including up to five international flights, by mid-2026, and aims to reach 60 daily departures by winter 2026.