NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which began operations nine months ago, has set itself ambitious targets. It aims to create infrastructure that can handle 90 million passengers per annum before 2040, as well as 3.25 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo.
A media team was taken on a tour of the Lotus-shaped Greenfield airport, located in the Ulwe suburb in Raigad district. It is operated by Adani Airport Holdings Private Limited.
Officials spoke with newspersons about multiple aspects of its operations. "The airport presently operates between 95 and 110 flights per day. We connect 46 destinations presently. Air India Express operates the only international route from NMIA to Abu Dhabi three times a week. Many international airlines have evinced interest in operating from here," said an official.
The ongoing West Asia crisis has caused a dip in operations. "The airport was operating between 140 and 150 flights per day in its summer schedule (which commenced by March-end)," said a senior operations official. Navi Mumbai airport plans to operate around 200 flights during the upcoming winter schedule," he added.
NMIA is presently equipped with the capacity to handle 20 million passengers per annum. "On completion of the planned four terminals, it can touch up to 90 million passengers annually," he said.
The airport has two parallel runways, each running to a length of 3.7 km. Interestingly, land was literally created to build this airport by blasting rocks.
Cargo operations momentum
Cargo operations have picked up due to its prime location in the vicinity of warehouses. "We handle 0.5 MMT of cargo presently. It is expected to touch 3.25 MMT after the airport expands in future. International freighters are operated by Cathay Pacific and Saudia, among others," said another official. Perishables and pharmaceutical products form the bulk of products transported through the airport.
The airport is extremely well connected via the road network. Connectivity is set to get a further boost in the near future through Metro connectivity. "The Gold Line (Line 8), a high-speed transit corridor, running to 34.9 km, will directly link Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to NMIA, making it a seamless commute for passengers," he added. The airport would also connect with another metro line (Line 2B).
The Experiential Zone, which consists of mammoth eye-catching digital installations depicting nature, is aimed at soothing passengers after the pre-embarkation security checks that generally cause anxiety to many flyers. This makes a journey through the airport unforgettable.
