Navi Mumbai Airport Gears Up for Operations; DGCA Chief Conducts Readiness Inspection

Navi Mumbai– The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Faiz Ahmed Kidwai (IAS), conducted an inspection of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) site on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, to assess its operational readiness. The visit followed a successful series of trial landings, including an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft on October 11, 2024, and a commercial Indigo aircraft on December 29, 2024.

The inspection, which commenced on February 24, included a detailed assessment by AAI and DGCA teams. Key airport infrastructure, including the runway, apron, taxiways, air traffic control (ATC) tower, terminal building, and baggage handling systems, were thoroughly evaluated. He was accompanied by Vipin Kumar, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India, Prakash Nikam, Regional Director of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Vijay Singhal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of CIDCO and other officials.

As part of the operational readiness demonstration, the airport operator conducted a mock check-in process for the dignitaries, issuing dummy boarding passes and baggage tags—an exercise that was well received by the inspection team.

A Major Milestone for Mumbai’s Aviation Growth

Developed by CIDCO over 1,160 hectares, NMIA is designed to alleviate congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai. The airport’s initial capacity is set at 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and 0.8 million tons of cargo, with an ultimate goal of handling 90 MPPA and 2.6 million tons of cargo annually.

Strategically located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), NMIA is expected to be a game-changer for regional connectivity and economic growth. CIDCO has planned seamless multimodal access, integrating roadways, suburban rail, metro, and water transport, along with the proposed Mumbai-Hyderabad High-Speed Rail Corridor.