Navi Mumbai International Airport under construction. (Image: Getty)
play an important role in and countries, and easing .
And with now overtaking as the world’s most populated country with more than 1.44 billion people, its growing demand for is clear.
Now, is being built to help meet that demand and improve connections for millions of travellers.
The £1.6 billion in Maharashtra, is set to become a vital addition to India’s aviation sector.
Once fully operational, it will help ease congestion at Mumbai’s busy , which currently handles over 52 million passengers annually.
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The airport will feature two runways, four terminals, and India’s largest general aviation hub. (Image: Getty)
The new airport is expected to serve 25 million travellers in its initial phase after its grand opening in April 2025, with further expansions taking that number to 90 million by 2032.
Designed by world-renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, the airport will feature modern, interconnected terminals inspired by the shape of a lotus.
The first terminal will include spacious lounges, food courts, and travelators for easy navigation.
It will also house a dedicated low-cost carrier terminal and a cargo area capable of handling 800 million kilograms of cargo (approximately 1.76 billion pounds) each year.
Don’t miss… [REVEAL]
VIDEO | First commercial aircraft lands at Navi Mumbai International Airport.(Full video available on PTI Videos – )
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News)
Construction officially began in 2021, after years of land acquisition challenges, including , which delayed the project.
Despite this, the airport has recently hit a major milestone when an IndiGo A320 aircraft successfully landed on one of its runways on December 29, 2024 as part of a test.
The successful test flight will now enable Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) to apply for an aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which will allow commercial flight operations to begin.
Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings, also confirmed that domestic flights will begin in May 2025, with international operations to follow by July.
Spread across 1,160 hectares, the airport will feature two runways, four terminals, and India’s largest general aviation hub with over 67 aircraft stands.