Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced that the first passenger flight from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to take off in September. With nearly 94 per cent of the work completed, the state government has set a deadline of September 30 for the launch of commercial operations, reported PTI. The airport’s inauguration will be carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had also performed its ground-breaking ceremony.
Fadnavis, accompanied by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and minister Ganesh Naik, conducted an inspection of the NMIA site and reviewed the project progress on Saturday. He said that the airport will be the “most modern and fully-equipped” in the country and added that instructions have been issued to ensure it has the fastest baggage claim system in the world.
“We saw a detailed presentation on all aspects of the work – from the runway to the terminal building. The runway is fully complete and work on the terminal is in the final stage, with interiors, façade and ceiling pending. The remaining six per cent work will be completed in time to make the airport operational by September,” stated the CM.
Fadnavis highlighted that the baggage-handling system being installed can read barcodes using 360-degree scanners, ensuring high-speed and accurate delivery.
“We have asked that the baggage claim system here should not only be the fastest in India, but in the world, and efforts are being made accordingly,” he said.
Once fully operational with two runways, the NMIA will have the capacity to handle nine crore passengers annually, making it much larger than the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, reported PTI.
“This will be the most modern airport in the country. Since we need to coordinate with the Prime Minister’s schedule, we have kept September 30 as our target,” Fadnavis said.
Over 13,000 workers are currently deployed at the site, and additional manpower will be brought in to meet the timeline. Fadnavis also said that the process of obtaining commercial licences is underway in parallel to ensure smooth operations once inaugurated.
The airport is being developed over 1,160 hectares, with CIDCO executing the pre-development work including river diversion, high-tension power line relocation and land development. The financial closure for the Rs 19,647-crore project was achieved in March 2022, with the State Bank of India sanctioning Rs 12,770 crore.
Fadnavis said the airport will also be India’s greenest, with 37 MW of green energy powering operations.
“All airport vehicles will either be electric or run on alternative fuels. Sustainable aviation fuel will also be used on a large scale,” he informed.
The state has also focused on connectivity to NMIA, with plans to link the Atal Setu to the Coastal Road by March next year, as well as a proposed elevated corridor from Thane to the airport.
“We are working on connecting the airport from four directions using various modes — suburban rail, metro and water transport — to make it easily accessible,” the CM said.
He added that arrangements are being made to allow passengers to check in their baggage from other cities, offering a seamless travel experience. Internally, the airport will have travelators and in the second phase, a metro-style train will connect the terminals to eliminate walking or vehicular congestion.
“No one will have to walk. The bays will be within 500 metres and travelators will be installed. Planning is being done to ensure efficient passenger movement,” he said.
Regarding the airport’s name, Fadnavis said, “The state government has sent a proposal to the Centre, and both Shinde and I will follow it up with the Prime Minister.”
(With PTI inputs)
