The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) formally entered India’s commercial aviation network on Thursday as it handled its first scheduled passenger flight, marking a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the country’s civil aviation sector.
The inaugural flight, operated by IndiGo from Bengaluru, touched down at the Ulwe-based airport in Raigad district at 8 am. The aircraft was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute, a traditional gesture in aviation reserved for landmark occasions, signalling the start of full-fledged commercial operations at the new facility.
Also Read | ‘India continues to soar higher..’: ISRO’s ‘Baahubali’ rocket sets new record with heaviest payload launch
Shortly after the arrival, the airport recorded its first departure when another IndiGo flight, 6E882, took off for Hyderabad at 8:40 am. With this, NMIA completed its first arrival-and-departure cycle on the opening day of operations, officials said.
On its first day, domestic flights operated by IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air connected the airport to nine destinations across India. The airport handled 15 scheduled departures on Thursday. During the initial phase, flight operations will be limited to a 12-hour window between 8 am and 8 pm.
According to the airport operator, NMIA is currently equipped to manage up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and can handle up to 10 aircraft movements per hour. From February next year, operations are expected to gradually scale up to round-the-clock services.
The start of commercial flights comes at a crucial time, coinciding with the Christmas–New Year travel season, and is expected to provide immediate relief to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which has been operating near capacity for several years.
A major boost to Mumbai’s aviation infrastructure
Conceived as a second airport for Mumbai, NMIA is expected to play a key role in easing congestion and supporting the region’s rapidly growing passenger traffic. Aviation officials see the launch as a significant step towards strengthening connectivity within India and eventually expanding international services.
The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8 this year. The first phase of the five-phase project was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹19,650 crore. Once all phases are completed, NMIA is expected to handle up to 90 million passengers annually. The long-term plan also includes dedicated cargo terminals and integrated multimodal connectivity.
Also Read | Karnataka bus-truck crash leaves more than 20 dead, several injured
The project is being developed under a special purpose vehicle, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL). The Adani Group holds a 74 per cent stake in NMIAL, while the remaining 26 per cent is owned by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).
With commercial operations now underway, NMIA is set to emerge as a critical aviation hub for western India, reshaping air travel patterns across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in the years ahead.
