Mumbai will become one of only a few cities in the world with multiple airports, along with London, New York, and Tokyo, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on Wednesday, October 8. It is anticipated that the cutting-edge airport will open for business in December.
The airport was constructed by Adani Airport Holdings and CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd) as part of a public-private collaboration. The first entirely digital airport in India, Navi Mumbai International Airport will offer online baggage drop and immigration services, as well as the ability to reserve parking spaces in advance. Additionally, a completely automated terminal with AI capabilities will support it.
In the first phase, the 1,160-hectare airport will accommodate 20 million passengers a year via a single runway and terminal. With four terminals and two runways, the airport can accommodate 155 million passengers a year when it is fully operational.
The airport, which cost ₹19,650 crore to build, is expected to create over two lakh jobs in a variety of industries, including real estate, IT, aviation, logistics, and hospitality. Numerous airlines have already announced plans to begin operations and flights connecting various cities throughout the nation, including IndiGo, Air India Express, and Akasa Air.
About 40% of international traffic will be handled by commercial operations starting in December, and that percentage will eventually increase to 75%. According to officials, the airport would initially be open for business 12 hours a day. Because of its automation and digital amenities, the Navi Mumbai airport is “anxiety-free,” according to Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL).
He stated, “In Ahmedabad, we are testing AI-enabled baggage tracking. Here, you will receive a message on your phone stating, for instance, that your bag is number 20 on the carousel.” The Navi Mumbai airport will be the first significant aviation centre in India with connections to a number of transportation networks, such as canal services, metro and suburban rail networks, and motorways.