Offshore push: Maharashtra eyes 2026 takeoff for Vadhvan airport project

Upgradation efforts for several existing airstrips are already in progress

Maharashtra is gearing up to build India’s first offshore airport, with construction work on the Vadhvan Airport expected to begin in 2026, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Friday.

Speaking at the Western Region Ministers’ Conference on Civil Aviation in Mumbai, Fadnavis confirmed that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is already underway, and the state has appointed an agency to carry it out.

A first for India, a third for MMR

The ambitious Vadhvan airport will not only be India’s first offshore airport, but also the third airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), after the existing Mumbai International Airport and the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport being developed by the Adani Group.

“When we can reclaim land and build a port at Vadhvan, why not an offshore airport too?” Fadnavis said, referring to the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhvan greenfield port project in Palghar district.

Why Vadhvan? 

Located along the Arabian Sea coast in Palghar, Vadhvan offers strategic proximity to Mumbai while allowing room for large-scale infrastructure development, something the land-constrained city struggles with.

The airport is expected to ease pressure on Mumbai’s saturated airspace, provide connectivity to new economic zones, and attract investment in the surrounding region.

Navi Mumbai airport close to launch

Fadnavis also noted that the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which has been under construction for years, is finally expected to become operational soon. Together, the three airports will shape Mumbai’s evolution into a multi-airport city, similar to global hubs like London or New York.

Pune’s second airport also moves forward

Fadnavis offered another update during the event: land acquisition for Pune’s second airport in Purandar is expected to be completed within 4–5 months, accelerating long-pending plans to boost air connectivity in Maharashtra’s second-largest city.

Airport network expansion across Maharashtra

The Chief Minister revealed that 24 of Maharashtra’s 36 districts already have either an airport or airstrip, and the goal is to expand that number to 30 districts. Upgradation efforts for several existing airstrips are already in progress, he added.

“Airports bring more than just planes, they bring investment, jobs, and economic activity. Our goal is to make Maharashtra a top aviation and industrial hub,” Fadnavis said.

(With inputs from PTI)