The Adani Group-operated Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began commercial flight operations on Thursday, marking a major addition to India’s aviation infrastructure.
The airport welcomed its first scheduled arrival when an IndiGo aircraft from Bengaluru touched down at 8 am, celebrated with a traditional water cannon salute.
The inaugural departure followed shortly after, with IndiGo flight 6E882 leaving for Hyderabad at 8:40 am, completing NMIA’s first commercial cycle of arrival and departure.
On its opening day, the new airport is handling services operated by IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air, linking Navi Mumbai with nine domestic destinations. According to the airport operator, 15 outbound flights are scheduled for day one.
In the initial phase, NMIA will function for 12 hours daily. This will gradually expand to round-the-clock operations, with plans to accommodate 24 departures a day across 13 destinations. At this stage, the airport is capable of managing up to 10 aircraft movements per hour, including both landings and take-offs.
The airport is being developed in phases by Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), a special purpose vehicle in which the Adani Group holds a 74% stake, while Maharashtra’s City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) owns the remaining 26%. The first phase of the five-stage project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 19,650 crore.
Spread over nearly 1,160 hectares, NMIA currently operates with a single runway and one terminal, designed to handle up to 20 million passengers annually. Once all phases are completed, the airport is expected to have the capacity to serve around 90 million passengers a year, supported by dedicated cargo facilities and integrated transport connectivity.
Originally conceived in 1997 by CIDCO, the Navi Mumbai airport project gained momentum when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone in 2018. He formally inaugurated the airport on October 8 this year.
Although the project was initially expected to see its first flight by December 2019, timelines were pushed back due to multiple factors, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since 2021, Adani Airports Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, has been responsible for driving construction and preparing the airport for phased commercial operations.
After nearly eight years of development, the start of flight services at NMIA represents a significant milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The airport is expected to reduce pressure on the existing Mumbai International Airport and substantially enhance air travel capacity in the region. Full 24-hour operations are planned to begin from February next year.
Also Read: PM Modi Inaugurates Navi Mumbai International Airport, Unveils Major Landmark In India’s Aviation Journey https://www.vibesofindia.com/pm-modi-inaugurates-navi-mumbai-international-airport-unveils-major-landmark-in-indias-aviation-journey/
