What to expect ahead of Navi Mumbai International Airport inauguration on Oct 8

Prime Minister PM Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport NMIA on October 8 marking a significant milestone in Indiarsquos aviation landscape In anticipation of the highprofile visit authorities have launched an intensive beautification and security drive across Ulwe and the surrounding areasThe Navi Mumbai International Airport is located approximately 37 kilometres from South MumbaiThe state government has announced that the new airport on the outskirts of Mumbai will be named lsquoLoknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International AirportrsquoBeautification and lastminute works in full swingIn Ulwe roads are being resurfaced illegal encroachments cleared and public spaces cleaned up On October 4 the asphalt work was underway near the NMIA entrance and service roads Teams of labourers worked tirelessly under the afternoon sun to meet a tight twoday deadlineWe were asked to complete the patching and dambar work urgently due to the PMrsquos visit Normally this takes longer but now everything must look clean and perfect said Ramesh Gupta a road worker supervising the repairsSecurity measures on high alertThe airport will be secured by 1840 CISF personnel with AIpowered surveillance biometric screening and Digi Yatra contactless checkins in place A comprehensive disaster management framework is also being implemented ensuring preparedness for emergencies in the face of rising global aviation threatsCommercial operations to begin in DecemberWhile the inauguration is set for October 8 commercial flight operations are expected to commence in the first week of December Officials cite ongoing operational trials and final finishing work as the reason for the delayNMIA is expected to ease congestion at Mumbairsquos Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport CSMIA and offer a seamless techdriven travel experience establishing itself as a worldclass aviation hubTarghar Station NMIArsquos suburban rail link nearing completionJust across the road from NMIA the Targhar Railway Station is in the final stages of construction Developed by CIDCO at a cost of Rs 112 crore the station is envisioned as a multimodal suburban transit hub with Three island platforms and two end platforms Waveshaped roof inspired by the nearby creek Shuttle connectivity to the airport Integrated retail spaces and commuter facilities Multilevel parking and dropoff zonesWhile trains currently do not halt at Targhar Central Railway officials confirm that the station will be operational in the coming monthsNMIA by numbers A snapshotPassenger capacityIn Phases I and II Terminal 1 will be constructed with a builtup area of 2 lakh 34000 square metres capable of handling 20 million passengers per annum MPPAThis terminal will cater to both domestic and international travellersFuture phases by 2032 Terminal 2 30 MPPA In Phase III Terminal 2 will be added with a significantly larger area of 400000 square metres and a capacity of 30 MPPA With this addition the cumulative capacity of the airport will rise to 50 MPPA Terminal 3 20 MPPA Phase IV will see the development of Terminal 3 which is projected to add another 20 MPPA to the airportrsquos capacity The total cumulative capacity will then reach 70 MPPA The exact area of this terminal is yet to be confirmed TBC but it will also serve both domestic and international passengers Terminal 4 20 MPPA Finally in Phase V Terminal 4 will be developed with an additional capacity of 20 MPPA bringing the total cumulative passenger handling capacity of NMIA to 90 MPPA Like Terminal 3 the area of Terminal 4 is still TBC Total capacity 90 MPPA All terminals across all phases are designed to handle both domestic and international operations ensuring seamless and scalable expansion to meet future demandTerminal 1 at Navi Mumbai International Airport is designed with modern passenger handling facilities to ensure smooth and efficient operations The terminal will feature 66 checkin counters facilitating faster processing and reduced wait times for travellers Additionally 22 selfbaggage drop units will be available offering passengers a convenient and timesaving option to check in their luggage independentlyRunway infrastructureTwo parallel runways designed for high trafficCapable of handling up to 45 air traffic movements ATMs per hourEnables simultaneous takeoffs and landingsTwinairport model CSMIA NMIANMIA and Mumbairsquos CSMIA will operate as a twinairport system with the Navi Mumbai Airport set to decongest air traffic and expand connectivity across India and abroadTerminal 1 Design and technology highlights Architecture inspired by the lotus flower Spanning a total project area of 1160 hectares or approximately 2866 acres the airportrsquos design takes inspiration from the lotus Indiarsquos national flower Emphasis on natural lighting and green sustainable features Selfcheckin kiosks with biometric authentication Automated baggage handling systems Smart security lanes and automatic boarding gates Expansive lounges and flexible gate allocationMultimodal connectivityNMIA is designed to be Indiarsquos most connected airport with integrated access via Metro lines including planned Mumbai Metro links Harbour line suburban rail stations Mumbai TransHarbour Link MTHL Water transport hubs for coastal lastmile connectivityCargo and general aviation capabilitiesCargo handling Cargo capacity of 05 million metric tonnes per annum Infrastructure supports ecommerce pharma perishables and international freight Indiarsquos largest general aviation terminalDedicated GA General Aviation terminal with premium amenitiesFor aircraft infrastructure the airport includes 245 passenger aircraft stands in its final phase 7 cargo aircraft stands 79 general aviation GA stands and 16 GA hangars ensuring robust support for both commercial and cargo operationsThe Navi Mumbai International Airport represents a major leap in Indias airport infrastructure combining sustainability technology and scale As it prepares to welcome passengers by the end of 2025 the project is already reshaping the economic and urban landscape of Navi Mumbai and beyond