Navi Mumbai Airport Starts Commercial Flights, First Arrival Gets Water Salute

Commercial flight operations commenced today at Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking the launch of Mumbai’s second aviation gateway after more than two decades of planning. The first arriving commercial service—IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru—touched down at 8:00 am and received a traditional water cannon salute. The inaugural departure followed at 8:40 am with IndiGo flight 6E882 to Hyderabad.

Conceived in 1997 by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the greenfield project faced multiple delays, including pandemic-related disruptions. The airport was inaugurated earlier this year by Narendra Modi, after the foundation stone was laid in 2018.

Development, construction and operational readiness have been led since 2021 by Adani Airports Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited. The airport is being developed via a special purpose vehicle, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd, with Adani holding a 74% stake and CIDCO 26%.

Built at an initial cost of Rs 19,650 crore, Phase 1 spans 1,160 hectares and includes a single terminal and runway with capacity for 20 million passengers annually. Upon completion of all five phases, NMIA is projected to handle up to 90 million passengers a year, supported by dedicated cargo facilities and multimodal connectivity.

On day one, operations are domestic-only, with Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air joining IndiGo to connect nine Indian cities. Fifteen departures are scheduled during a 12-hour operating window (8 am–8 pm). Capacity allows up to 24 departures daily to 13 destinations and around 10 aircraft movements per hour, with a phased move to 24x7 operations expected from February.

Passenger processing features Digi Yatra-enabled contactless touchpoints, while retail and food offerings emphasise affordability and local relevance. Architecturally, the terminal draws inspiration from the lotus, blending cultural motifs with contemporary design and sustainability features.

The commissioning of NMIA is set to ease congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and advance a multi-airport system for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, enhancing capacity, resilience and long-term scalability.