Navi Mumbai International Airport: Boarding pass to the future

Set to begin operations post-monsoon, the airport will be the second aviation hub in MMR; it features parallel runways, smart terminals and seamless connectivity

NAVI MUMBAI: Come September-end and flyers will be issued tickets codenamed ‘NMI’, for the much-awaited airport in Navi Mumbai, the second aviation hub in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Navi Mumbai International Airport: Boarding pass to the future

Spread across 1,160 hectares, the scale of the airport is best illustrated by the following detail – its two parallel runways are spaced 1.55km apart. The MMR will also become the first metropolitan region in India to have two international airports.

With domestic flights expected to start after the monsoon and international services scheduled for mid-2026, airlines are busy finalising schedules and arrangements are being rolled out for multi-modal connectivity. However, plans to shut and start redeveloping Terminal 1 at the Mumbai airport by end-2025 have been put on hold.

Located in Ulwe, the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will be easily accessible from Mumbai, North MMR, and Panvel and surrounding areas. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently announced that the first passenger flight from NMIA would take off by September 30.

Before operations commence, here’s a look at one of the MMR’s most transformative infrastructure projects.

Plans to build an airport to decongest the Mumbai airport go back almost 30 years. The site, in Ulwe, was identified by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the planning authority for Navi Mumbai, between 1997 and 2000.

Airlines gear up

The airport’s main infrastructure for the first two phases is complete. “Both IndiGo and Akasa Air have confirmed plans to operate from the airport and have outlined phased service expansions,” said an NMIA spokesperson.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended airspace restrictions through August 6, to facilitate final testing and certifications.

According to officials from NMIA, leading Indian carriers have begun preparing for the airport’s phased launch. IndiGo plans 36 daily flights initially, while Akasa Air will start with 15. Other airlines are in discussions to connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities directly.

The airport will initially handle 8-10 aircraft movements per hour, going up to 30 by April 2026. The parallel runway system can support up to 45 movements per hour, with terminal capacity guiding early throughput.

“Specific details regarding commercial flights will be announced closer to the commencement date. The choice of sectors remains with the respective airlines, in line with their broader network strategies,” said the NMIA spokesperson.

Multimodal connectivity is a key strength. NMIA links road, rail, metro and sea transport. The newly opened Atal Setu cuts travel time from South Mumbai to 40 minutes, while Thane and Pune are reachable within 1-2 hours.

Easing pressure on Mumbai airport

NMIA aims to ease the pressure on Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), which handles over 50 million passengers annually and is among the busiest single-runway airports globally.

With limited room for expansion due to urban constraints, CSMIA’s capacity issues are expected to be addressed by NMIA. “The new airport will cater to the incremental air traffic and provide relief to CSMIA’s current operational demands,” said an NMIA spokesperson.

CSMIA currently handles a peak capacity of 950 to 1,000 air traffic movements (ATM) per month. On 11 November 2023, CSMIA set a record for the highest single-day aircraft movements, reaching 1,032 ATMs.

Once NMIA becomes operational, the twin airport system would be better equipped to manage rising traffic volumes without placing undue pressure on either facility. The new airport will initially cater to 20 million passengers annually, with plans to scale up to 90 million by 2040.

Four passenger terminals, a general aviation terminal, and a state-of-the-art cargo terminal will eventually operate at NMIA. Cargo handling capacity is projected to rise from 0.5 million tonnes to 2.6 million in future phases.

NMIA’s spokesperson highlighted the airport’s focus on scalability, sustainability and passenger-centric design. “Travellers can expect a truly world-class experience with smart systems, smooth transit options, and terminals that blend Indian heritage with contemporary efficiency.”