The first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) might be inaugurated on September 30 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported Hindustan Times. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Mumbai in September end to inaugurate Worli-Cuffe Parade stretch of Metro Line 3. The urban development officials said that two metro stations, Kalbadevi and Girgaon, are not yet ready but two of the four entry/exit points will be opened after the route is inaugurated, reported Hindustan Times.
The report further added that the Mahayuti government delayed the inauguration of the NMIA on the account of pitru paksha. Pitru paksha is considered inauspicious for new beginnings. They have scheduled the inauguration for September 30, the eighth day of Navratri, which is considered as a very auspicious day of the festival. A senior CIDCO official stated that inauguration will be done on September 30, reported Hindustan Times.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde visited the airport site in July and set the deadline of September 30. The NMIA will boast two parallel runways, state-of-the-art passenger facilities and a strong focus on green infrastructure. The airport would be powered by 37 megawatts of renewable energy. All the vehicles used on site will be electric vehicles or powered by alternative fuels. The baggage claim area will have a stand-out feature called ultra-fast baggage handling system that will have 360-degree barcode scanning for enhanced speed and accuracy. This will reportedly be among the fastest baggage claims in the world.
Connectivity remains one of the core priorities of the project. The airport is designed to be reachable from all four directions through road, rail, and even water transport. Key supporting infrastructure includes the Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link), the upcoming section of coastal road, and a proposed elevated corridor connecting to Thane. Future phases also plan a metro link and underground access, ensuring passengers can reach the terminal with ease—covering only about 500 metres from bays to gates.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) was first conceptualized decades ago, but actual groundwork began in 2018 with a bhoomi poojan led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Construction, however, encountered significant challenges, including a 2.5-year setback caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by further delays during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.