Set to be inaugurated today, how Navi Mumbai International Airport could shape aviation landscape

The first phase of NMIA, to be inaugurated on Wednesday, will have an annual capacity of 20 million passengers.

Navi Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (NMIAL) is a joint venture between Adani Airports Holdings Limited (74 per cent stake) and CIDCO (26 per cent). Spread across 1,160 hectares, the airport’s development follows a phased plan to create a fully integrated air hub for western India.

Scale and design

NMIA spans about 1,160 hectares and is planned for development in phases. The first phase features a single integrated terminal of 2,34,000 square metres designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

The structure is inspired by the lotus flower, India’s national flower, with 12 sculptural columns symbolising petals and 17 mega-columns supporting large lotus canopies.

Phase 1 includes one 3,700-metre-long and 60-metre-wide runway, designed to Code F specifications to handle large aircraft. The airport will eventually have four terminals and a second parallel runway, expanding capacity to 90 million passengers annually.

How to reach the Navi Mumbai airport

The airport is accessible via the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the Sion-Panvel highway, and the newly opened Ulwe Coastal Road, ensuring road users from across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have direct and high-speed access.
Rail connections include the operational Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1, linking Belapur and Pendhar.

The Mumbai Metro Line 8, which is at the planning stage, will provide a direct link between NMIA and CSMIA.
Besides, water taxis and high-speed train options are also in planning stages.

“This will be India’s first truly multimodal airport, connecting road, metro, suburban rail, water taxi, and high-speed train networks, making travel seamless and convenient for passengers and businesses alike,” said an NMIAL official.
Key industrial and port hubs such as Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, located 14 km away, and the MIDC Taloja industrial area, 22 km away, will benefit from this enhanced multimodal connectivity.

Passenger experience

The terminal offers 66 check-in counters, 22 self-baggage drop points, 29 aerobridges, and 10 bus boarding gates.
Passenger comfort is enhanced through digital art installations and interactive exhibits telling Mumbai and Maharashtra’s stories. Domestic departures feature a play area for children.

There are lounges for 500 Commercially Important Persons and business travellers, and an 80-room transit hotel for overnight or day stays.

Baggage services include home delivery and repair. Retail space covers 5,000 square metres including 1,800 square metres of duty free shops at departures and arrivals. Passengers can order food digitally for delivery anywhere in the terminal through a dedicated app.

Operational plan

In its first phase of operations, the airport will have one runway and one integrated terminal in use, capable of handling 20 million passengers annually.

There are 42 aircraft stands initially, including 29 contact stands and 13 remote stands. Flight operations will begin likely in December with initial flight windows from 8 am to 8 pm, managing 10 air traffic movements per hour, scaling up to 40 as operational readiness improves in six to nine months.

IndiGo and Akasa Air have announced plans to operate flights from NMIA. Air India has announced that in the initial phase of the new airport’s operations, Air India Express will operate 20 daily departures or 40 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) from and to NMIA, connecting 15 Indian cities.

The Air India group intends to scale up to 55 daily departures (110 ATMs) by mid-2026, including up to 5 daily international flights from NMIA.

Investment and construction phases

Phase 1 of the project has seen an investment of approximately Rs 20,000 crore, covering the construction of the main terminal, runway, and associated airside infrastructure. An additional Rs 30,000 crore has been earmarked for Phase 2, which will include the development of a second terminal, an additional runway, and expanded airside and landside facilities.

Preliminary for Phase 3 are already underway, aimed at scaling the airport’s total capacity to 90 million passengers per annum once all five planned phases are completed.

NMIA is positioned as an “international aviation hub” similar to Dubai or Heathrow airport and sees itself as the one-stop for all direct flights to all major destinations in Europe and US.

Technological edge

The airport integrates advanced smart airport technologies, operating on a 5G-enabled network that supports real-time Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring across terminals, airside operations, and utilities. Passenger movement will be fully digital through the Digi Yatra platform, allowing contactless entry, security clearance, and boarding without manual document checks.

The airport will use a Category II Instrument Landing System (ILS), which will allow pilots to make safe landings at visibility levels as low as runway visual range (RVR) of 300 metres due to fog, heavy rain, or other weather conditions. The existing CSMIA requires a minimum RVR of 550 metres for landing.

An automated baggage handling system compliant with IATA Resolution 753 enables real-time baggage tracking through the “aviio” mobile app, which also provides flight updates, gate information, and service alerts.

Sustainability features

The facility aims to generate 47 megawatts of solar power, supported by rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, and low-flow water fixtures to reduce resource consumption. Electric vehicles will be deployed for airside operations, while an Automated People Mover (APM) system for internal transit is planned by Phase 3.

The airport’s runways and aprons are built using a rockfill construction method to enhance environmental stability and reduce soil displacement. Its lotus-inspired architectural design also promotes passive cooling, helping lower overall energy demand.

Cargo and economic impact

The cargo terminal at the Navi Mumbai Airport is designed to handle 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually in Phase 1, with capacity expanding to 3.2 million metric tonnes once the airport is fully developed. The facility will feature seven freighter stands and 49 truck bays, enabling high-throughput, round-the-clock operations.

Built according to global standards, the terminal is expected to secure certifications such as the IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) for pharmaceuticals and perishables.