- By Deeksha Gour
- Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:20 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Navi Mumbai Airport: Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is likely to be inaugurated on May 15, according to three officials familiar with the situation. This news follows a recent assessment conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
On Tuesday, the assessment included key figures such as Vipin Kumar, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Prakash Nikam, Regional Director of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and representatives from Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO). The NMIA is operated by a joint venture between AAHL and CIDCO.
The Hindustan Times report quoted an official as stating that the DGCA team spent the entire day on Monday assessing the airport, with department heads joining on Tuesday for a four-hour review. A DGCA representative noted that they evaluated NMIA's readiness and were informed that the airport would apply for all necessary permits by March 5.
In December, the DGCA had identified several concerns regarding the airport's readiness. These issues were mentioned after a commercial flight validation test was carried out on December 29, when an IndiGo A320 landed on runway 08/26. However, the latest assessment showed that 90 per cent of the identified issues have now been resolved.
According to regulations, the airport operator must apply for an aerodrome licence. The operator plans to submit this application on February 28. Following that, the DGCA is expected to approve the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) by March 5 or 7, with publication before April 30. The AIP provides crucial information for flight operations, ensuring safety in navigation.
Once the AIP is issued, the airport will be ready for operations. An official stated, "NMIA will apply for the aerodrome licence to begin operations from May 15."
Navi Mumbai Airport
This greenfield airport aims to alleviate congestion at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), which currently operates with a single runway. The first phase of NMIA's terminal building is designed to accommodate 20 million passengers annually, with expectations of handling 10-12 million, including 9 million domestic and 3 million international passengers. The airport’s Terminal 2, projected to have a capacity of 30 million passengers per year, is anticipated to open by the end of 2028.
