The wait for Navi Mumbai’s long-promised second airport just got shorter. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted the Aerodrome Licence to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), marking a crucial regulatory milestone that clears the runway for operations to finally begin.
Why the licence matters
An Aerodrome Licence is the aviation regulator’s stamp of approval that an airport meets stringent safety, technical, and operational standards. Without it, no commercial flights can take off or land.
“This achievement represents a key step in NMIA's progress towards becoming fully operational,” the airport operator said in a statement as per a report by ANI.
Who will fly first
The first phase of operations is set to be launched with Air India Express, which will operate 20 daily departures (40 Air Traffic Movements) linking Navi Mumbai to 15 Indian cities.
IndiGo has already signalled its intent by announcing itself as the first carrier to begin commercial operations from the new hub, beating rivals to the punch.
What NMIA brings to the table
Spread over 1,100 hectares in Navi Mumbai and connected to the island city by India’s longest sea bridge, the new airport features two parallel runways and a design capacity to handle 90 million passengers annually once all phases are complete.
Adani says NMIA will be India’s first fully digital airport, using advanced technology for check-in, baggage, security and boarding to slash turnaround times and make transfers smoother.
Still, challenges loom. Located 40 km from Mumbai’s commercial centre, the airport can take up to 2–3 hours to reach from certain suburbs. A dedicated metro line linking the two airports is still years away; for now, authorities plan to deploy electric shuttle buses.
'This is not ideal,' aviation consultant Alok Anand told the BBC, adding that last-mile connectivity often lags in India’s mega-projects. Until fixed, he said, “no one landing at one airport will rush to the other to catch a connecting flight.”
What it means for flyers
Once operational, NMIA will ease pressure on Mumbai’s congested primary airport and expand connectivity for both domestic and international routes. Industry watchers expect it to emerge as a modern gateway not just for Navi Mumbai but for the entire western region.
Airlines see it as a chance to tap new passenger flows, while policymakers tout it as a catalyst for regional growth and infrastructure development.
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