Just 12 Days to Go! The Journey of Navi Mumbai International Airport (2007–2025) and Why Punekars Are Calling It Their Airport
With just 12 days left, all eyes are on the inauguration of the much-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport, which is set to be inaugurated on September 30, 2025. Commercial flights are expected to start around November, marking a new chapter in India’s aviation sector.
From Proposal to Reality: The Journey So Far
The idea of building a second airport for Mumbai was first approved in 2007 to meet the growing demand for air travel. Since then, the project has taken shape step by step:
- 2007 – Union Cabinet approves the greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai.
- 2018 – CIDCO begins tendering for private participation in what became one of India’s most ambitious PPP projects, with an estimated cost of ₹16,700 crore.
- 2019–2021 – Major land acquisition completed; Adani Group takes charge of managing both CSMIA and Navi Mumbai International Airport in August 2021.
- 2022 – Construction begins over 2,866 acres with runway and terminal works taking shape.
- 2023 – Lotus-inspired terminal design by Zaha Hadid Architects unveiled; construction crosses 50%.
- 2024 – Indian Air Force C-295 and IndiGo conduct successful test landings, confirming operational readiness.
- 2025 – Final safety checks and passenger simulations completed; project achieves 94% completion.
What Passengers Should Know
Once the Navi Mumbai International Airport opens, Mumbai will become the only city in India to have two fully operational international airports. This could lead to confusion for flyers, so passengers must carefully check the IATA code on their boarding passes:
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai): BOM
- Navi Mumbai International Airport: NMI
Why Pune Residents Are Excited
Interestingly, many residents from the western parts of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad have already started referring to the new airport as the “Pimpri Chinchwad Airport.” Here’s why:
- The upcoming Missing Link project on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and a planned connector to the airport will make travel from Pune to Navi Mumbai International Airport faster and smoother. Additionally, shuttle services from Panvel railway station to the airport will provide an option for Punekars to travel up to Panvel by train and then take a shuttle to the airport and vice-versa.
- As the largest airport in India, it will offer far more flight options than the existing Pune International Airport.
- This raises the question of whether Punekars will continue to wait for the proposed Purandar International Airport, expected by 2029, or adopt Navi Mumbai International Airport as their go-to choice for international and domestic travel.
A Game Changer for Indian Aviation
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is not just an addition to Mumbai’s infrastructure. It is set to transform how people across Maharashtra and beyond travel. For Punekars, it promises shorter drives and wider choices. For Mumbai, it offers much-needed relief from congestion at CSMIA. And for India, it stands as a modern symbol of progress in aviation.
