Navi Mumbai International Airport clears final hurdles, set for September launch

Photo credit: @dronemanYT / X

The long-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is on track to commence operations by September after receiving crucial approval for 285 immigration staff from the Maharashtra home department, the FPJ reported. The team includes 20 inspectors, 55 sub-inspectors and constables, marking a key administrative milestone before the airport opens its doors.

Designed to decongest Mumbai’s overburdened Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), the NMIA will feature four terminals, dual runways and a cargo terminal, with an annual capacity for 90 million passengers and 360 metric tonnes of freight. The state has earmarked Rs 10.10 crore per year for immigration infrastructure and personnel.

A dedicated police station with around 300 personnel will be set up to oversee security, while the Navi Mumbai Police has been restructured to include a new Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Panvel. Airport operations will fall under DCP Zone II, mirroring the current setup at CSMIA, where the Sahar police and Airport Police Station handle jurisdiction, as per the FPJ.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will deploy 2,000 personnel to manage security and a traffic division of 250 officers is planned to handle the anticipated surge in transit movement.

With 95% of construction finished, the airport is expected to begin partial operations by late September, following minor delays. The second phase will follow shortly after. The FPJ reported that Terminal 1 at CSMIA is slated for demolition, which could redirect numerous domestic flights to NMIA. Initially, the new airport will handle 30 daily flights before rapidly scaling up.

Maharashtra’s high MoU realisation rate with investors further underscores the project’s significance as a future economic and transit hub. The NMIA’s cutting-edge design aims to position it as a modern gateway for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.