Navi Mumbai International Airport To be India’s First With Rail, Road, Metro And Waterways Connectivity

Source: Times Now News

Navi Mumbai: In a development, the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is poised to become India's first airport with multi-modal connectivity, set to open its doors by the end of 2024. Located in the Raigad district, this strategic aviation hub is anticipated to alleviate the burden on the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, playing a pivotal role in transforming the face of Navi Mumbai.

The project, spearheaded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), received a comprehensive review from Minister for Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who visited the NMIA site on Saturday to assess the progress. This visit followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration of several key projects, including the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, which connects Mumbai to Nhava Sheva across the harbour. 

"This is the country’s project, not just Mumbai’s or Maharashtra’s. I am happy that the physical and financial progress is on time. It is going to help connect both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. I would also like to inform you that the project will be connected through multimodal connectivity through rail, road, metro and ultimately waterways,\" (sic.) as quoted by the Deccan Herald.

There were various top officials that were present, i.e., from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Adani Airport Holding Limited (AAHL), and the Maharashtra government.

Scheduled to open by year-end, NMIA is poised to reshape the aviation landscape of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. In its inaugural year, the airport is expected to augment passenger capacity by 20 million passengers per annum, with a staggering increase to 90 million passengers per annum upon completion of the final phase.

Distinguishing itself as India's largest planned General Aviation facility, NMIA will feature more than 67 General Aviation aircraft stands, including a separate heliport operation. The airport, constructed in five phases, will boast interconnected terminals, facilitating seamless integrated operations on both the airside and the landside for efficient hub operations.

On Friday, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Navi Mumbai international airport (NMIA) will become operational from November or December this year and also announced that in the next 10 to 15 years, at least 10 cities in India will have two airports each.

Scindia was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the AAR-Indamer MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facility at the MIHAN SEZ in Nagpur.",