PM Modi set to inaugurate state-of-the-art Navi Mumbai International Airport

Mumbai, Oct 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate state-of-the-art Navi Mumbai International Airport on October 8 -- a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between Mumbai International Airport Ltd (a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Ltd.) holding 74 per cent stake, and CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd.), holding 26 per cent.

The Navi Mumbai Airport will be the second international airport in Mumbai, after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The airport recently received its aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), clearing the way for operations to begin.

The airport is designed to accommodate both domestic and international passengers, featuring state-of-the-art facilities. It includes a 3,700-metre runway capable of handling large commercial aircraft, modern passenger terminals, and advanced air traffic control systems.

Once operational, it is expected to handle 2 crore passengers per annum (MPPA) in the initial phase and cater to the burgeoning air traffic demands of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Western India, while strengthening India’s global connectivity.

The airport will be 14 km from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) Sea Port, 22 km from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Taloja Industrial area, 35 km from Mumbai Port Trust (via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link), 32 km from Thane, and 40 km from the power loom town Bhiwandi.

Airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express have announced plans to commence operations from the airport, with initial flights connecting various domestic cities.

With 0.5 million metric tonnes per annum capacity, the airport will have a fully automated cargo terminal, semi-automated Material Handling System (MHS), 100 per cent Shipment Tracking, Truck Management System, cargo community system and cargo facility designed for cashless and paperless operations.

Moreover, the Navi Mumbai International Airport is twice the size of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, as it is spread over 1,160 hectares and is being developed in several phases.

Once completed, the airport will scale up to serve 90 million passengers and manage over 3.2 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo every year.

--IANS

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