 "PM Modi inaugurates Navi Mumbai airport, says it reflects 'Viksit Bharat'")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), constructed at a cost of approximately ₹19,650 crore.
At the inauguration event, PM Modi said, “Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project which reflects ‘Viksit Bharat’... With this new airport, farmers in Maharashtra will be connected to the markets of West Asia and Europe. This will attract investment and new businesses to the area. I congratulate the people of Maharashtra on the inauguration of this airport.”
He added, “Our target is to make India global aviation's maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub by the end of this decade.”
Symbol of heritage and progress
Highlighting the airport’s design, PM Modi said, “The airport’s lotus-shaped structure reflects our heritage and culture. It will boost trade with other countries and enhance access to the global market.”
Speaking on development goals, he said the new airports and the UDAN scheme for affordable air travel have made air travel easier in the country. Modi further said, “...Today, the entire nation is working towards ‘Viksit Bharat’. A Viksit Bharat is one where there is both momentum and progress, and where public welfare is paramount and government schemes make life easier for the citizens...”
Mumbai gets first fully digital airport
The Navi Mumbai International Airport will be India’s first fully digital airport, featuring pre-booked parking slots, online baggage drop, and digital immigration services. The airport’s AI-enabled automated terminal is designed to make air travel faster and smoother for passengers.
Developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), NMIA is India’s largest greenfield airport project. Serving as the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it will work alongside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to reduce congestion and establish Mumbai as a global multi-airport city.
Spanning 1,160 hectares, the airport is designed for efficiency and is expected to handle 90 million passengers annually and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.
Advanced connectivity and transit facilities
Among its unique features is an automated people mover (APM) system connecting all four passenger terminals, along with a landside APM linking the city-side for smooth transfers.
The airport will be India’s first major aviation hub integrated with multiple transport systems, including expressways, metro lines, suburban rail, and waterway services.
It will be directly accessible via the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Sion-Panvel Highway, and Ulwe Coastal Road. Rail connectivity includes the operational Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1 (Belapur to Pendhar), while the upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 8 will connect NMIA to CSMIA. Plans for water taxi and high-speed rail services are also underway.
The airport is expected to generate over 200,000 jobs across aviation, logistics, IT, hospitality and real estate sectors.
[With agency inputs]