# Navi Mumbai International Airport

Navi Mumbai International Airport (IATA: NMI, ICAO: VANM) is an international airport being constructed in Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India. When completed, it will become the second airport of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, serving alongside Mumbai's existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
The greenfield airport is being built by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) through a public–private partnership (PPP) model on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) basis in three phases. The first phase will be able to handle over 20 million passengers per annum, the second phase with over 60-65 million passengers per annum, and to its final capacity of third phase to handle more than 90 million passengers and 2.5 million tonnes of cargo per annum, by 2032. L&T Infrastructure Engineering Limited is the detailed design consultant for the project. CIDCO appointed Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) to prepare the masterplan of the airport. The Texas-based Jacobs Engineering Group prepared a detailed terminal area and facilities model to define the size of the terminals, while the passenger terminals and the air traffic control (ATC) tower were designed by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects.
The ₹16,700 crore (US$1.9 billion) project is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO, which will hold 74% and 26% equity shares of NMIAL respectively. The airport covers an area of 1,160 ha (4.5 sq mi). The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 February 2018, and construction was started in August 2021, after more than three years of land acquisition.

## History

The project was first conceived in November 1997. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) constituted a committee to examine various sites for an extension to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The committee recommended a site at Mandwa–Rewas in June 2000, because the proposed airport was to have a single runway. That September, CIDCO revised the original proposal to provide for a pair of parallel runways and submitted its feasibility report to the MoCA. Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s sub-committee found the Navi Mumbai site technically and operationally feasible, and suggested that CIDCO carry out a detailed Techno-Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS) of the project. The TEFS was submitted to the State Government in September 2001, following which the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducted a simulation study that confirmed that simultaneous operation of two airports was possible with appropriate procedures in place. In February 2007, CIDCO submitted a Project Feasibility and Business Plan Report to the MoCA, and the project received in-principle approval from the Union Cabinet in July 2007.
In July 2008, the Government of Maharashtra granted approval for development of the project on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis and appointed CIDCO as the nodal agency for its implementation. The project received defence clearance by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by the end of 2010. The airport site was located in an area of 9.5 km$^2$ (3.7 sq mi) on National Highway 348 near Panvel, about 35 km (22 mi) from the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport The coastal land required was about 2,900 ha (7,200 acres) with 1,320 ha (3,300 acres) for the core airport activity and another 245 ha (610 acres) on Waghivali Island to be developed as Mangrove Park. 3,700 m (12,139 ft) long. The site had several environmental problems concerning mangroves and rain/storm water drains in Panvel. There is an NGO fighting government agencies regarding Panvel. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) gave its clearance for the airport on 14 May 2008. The airport was to have a terminal area of 250,000 m$^2$ (2,700,000 sq ft) and a cargo area of 100,000 m$^2$ (1,100,000 sq ft) and planned to handle 50–55 million passengers annually. The original estimated cost of the project was ₹47.66 billion (US$550 million). This has since quadrupled to ₹160 billion (US$1.8 billion). MoEFCC finally cleared the project on 23 November 2010.
CIDCO appointed Pune-based Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in 2011, to study the hydrological impact of the airport on the surrounding waterbodies. The CWPRS conducted hydrological and Mathematical Model studies of the Ulwe River catchment area and had recommended cutting a channel to divert the Ulwe River into the Moha Creek. CIDCO completed pre-development work on the Ulwe River diversion by June 2019.
CIDCO invited global tenders for requests for qualification (RFQ) on 5 February 2014. The total project cost for the development of phase 1 and 2 of NMIA was estimated to be ₹95 billion (US$1.1 billion). The cost of pre-development work was estimated at ₹23.58 billion (US$270 million), which including ₹15.38 billion (US$180 million) of land development for airport and ₹8 billion (US$92 million) for other works. The agency received nine bids and shortlisted four bidders, including GMR Group, the GVK-led MIAL, Hiranandani Group, Zurich Airport, and Mia Infrastructure with Tata Realty and Infrastructure. CIDCO submitted their RFQs to the Project Management Committee (PMC) for scrutiny. The PMC then submitted its report to the Chief minister of Maharashtra, who must approve the project, before it received final approval from the MoCA. GVK was the only bidder in the final two rounds of bidding, causing CIDCO to extend the deadline for the tender twice. Subsequently, the GMR Group submitted a bid. On 13 February 2017, GVK-led MIAL was announced as the winning bidder. GVK offered CIDCO a 12.6% share in revenue, as compared to the 10.44% offered by the GMR Group.
The MoEFCC provided clearance to carry out pre-development work for the airport in April 2017. Work could not begin until 14 June 2017, however, due to opposition from local villagers. The project required the relocation of 2,786 households located across 10 villages—Chinchpada, Kopar, Kolhi, Ulwe, Varcha (Upper) Owle, Waghivalivada, Vaghivali, Ganeshpuri, Targhar, and Kombadbhuje. Most of the residents affected by the project were fishermen, farmers, or work odd jobs. CIDCO compensated land owners paying ₹1,500 (US$17) per sq ft of the land, rent for 18 months, and a developed plot of land of a size equal to triple the roof area with 1.5 FSI in the Pushpak Nagar node.
Pre-development work included flattening the Ulwe Hill, reclaiming marsh land, diverting the Ulwe River outside the airport boundary and widening the channel to 60 metres, and shifting power transmission lines. CIDCO was to raise the level of the project site by 5.5 metres as part of the pre-development works. Work was stalled again from 12 October 2017 due to protests from local villagers, but resumed on 28 October 2017 after CIDCO reached an agreement with the protestors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the foundation plaque at the ground breaking ceremony for the airport in Mumbai on 18 February 2018. Navi Mumbai International Airport (P) Limited (NMIAL), appointed London-based Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in March 2018 to design the airport's Terminal 1 and the ATC tower. Zaha Hadid Architects was selected on completion of a 12-week fast track design competition amongst the international architecture firms that were shortlisted by GVK. CIDCO floated a tender to select the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project in August 2018. In September 2019, GVK awarded a contract for construction of the airport to Larsen and Toubro (L&T).
The Adani Group took over the management of the airport project in 2021, and started the construction in August that year. The Adani group had demanded that the entire project land be handed over to it before it starts the actual development. Land acquisition for the airport had officially been completed in 2019, but the project faced rehabilitation and resettlement challenges due to opposition from project-affected-persons. CIDCO was able to hand over the entire 2,866 acres of land to Adani only in July 2022 after evicting all 3,070 structures in the project area. In November 2023, Adani claimed to have completed 57 per cent of the physical work on the project site.
In May 2024, the IATA designated the code 'NMI' to the airport. The first and second phases were merged with the airport opening in 2025. On 15 August 2024, Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), controlled by the Adani group, pledged a 51% stake in the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) to the State Bank of India (SBI). This pledge secures a ₹12,770 crore (US$1.5 billion) facility sanctioned by SBI for the project. In October 2024, the testing of the airport began, and in December 2024, the airport hosted its first commercial test flight, operated by IndiGo. It was announced that the airport will begin operations from 15 May 2025, after inauguration on 17 April 2025.

## Facilities
### Runways

The airport will have two parallel runways enabling simultaneous operations:
* Runway 08L/26R: 3,700 by 45 metres (12,139 ft × 148 ft)
* Runway 08R/26L: 3,700 by 45 metres (12,139 ft × 148 ft)

### Terminals 1, 2, and 3

Zaha Hadid Architects designed the Navi Mumbai International Airport. It will have three interconnected terminal buildings. The buildings will feature food courts, lounges, travelators, and other facilities for passengers. In the final phase, the total capacity of the airport will be 90 million passengers. The buildings will be shaped like a lotus to provide an aesthetic theme. After the completion of Phase 1, the NMIA will be able to handle 20 million passengers annually, which is 40% of the existing Mumbai Airport’s total capacity.
A low-cost carrier terminal, with a capacity of two million passengers a year, will be built in the first phase. It will have an apron area of 67,000 m$^2$ (720,000 sq ft), 17,000 m$^2$ (180,000 sq ft) terminal area, and parking for ten code C aircraft.

### General aviation terminal

The airport would feature more than 67 general aviation aircraft stands, including a separate heliport for separate scheduled and un-scheduled helicopter operations. The general aviation terminal would be India's largest planned General Aviation facility.
Once the airport is opened, most of the business jets, turboprops and charter aircraft using CSMIA will be moved to the general aviation bays and hangars of NMIA by the end of 2025.

### Cargo terminal

The domestic cargo terminal will be spread over 33,000 m$^2$ (360,000 sq ft) and the international cargo terminal will be spread over 23,700 m$^2$ (255,000 sq ft). During Phase 1, NMIA will handle 0.8 million tonnes of cargo in a year.

### Other facilities

The airport will have a 151,000 m$^2$ (1,630,000 sq ft) fuel farm and three aircraft hangars. There is a planned dedicated MRO facility.

## Connectivity

Main access to the airport is via the four-lane Aamra marg that runs along the western boundary of the airport and via NH 4B which abuts the eastern boundary of the airport. CIDCO will construct the six-lane Ulwe Coastal Road (UCR) and Kharghar Coastal Road (KCR) to improve connectivity to the airport. The UCR will connect the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to the airport while the KCR will connect the Kharghar node to the CBD Belapur node. Both projects are expected to be completed by early 2026.
The airport will be connected with Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1 and the proposed Mumbai Metro Line 8 (Gold Line). The airport is also planned to be the terminal station of the proposed Mumbai-Hyderabad High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor.