Scindia Sets New Launch Timeline for Navi Mumbai Airport in March 2025

The anticipated launch date for commercial operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) has been revised to the end of March 2025, as revealed by Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday. This updated timeline follows statements made the day before, where Scindia initially indicated the airport's operational readiness by December of the current year.

Addressing reporters, Scindia clarified, "Internally, we are still pushing for the December-end target for this year. There are two projections of commencement of operations that one receives; one is overestimated, and the other is a realistic projection. I have kept a cushion of three months with a hope that we'll be able to push this forward a little bit."

The Adani Group, the parent company overseeing NMIAL, had previously stated in an investor presentation last April that the airport was on track for commercial operations by December 2024. However, an aviation consultancy firm, CAPA, reported in October 2023 that construction delays were likely, pushing the commencement to 2025 instead of the initially projected 2024.

Responding to questions about potential delays, Adani Group assured in October that the Navi Mumbai airport project was progressing according to the planned implementation schedule and would be operational by the original target date of December 2024.

The NMIAL construction is divided into five phases, with the initial two phases now expected to be operationalized by March 2025. Completion progress stands at approximately 55 to 60 percent for these phases, covering essential aspects such as the runway, terminal building, and the air traffic control (ATC) tower.

Minister Scindia noted that necessary permissions from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), runway calibration, and other prerequisites must be obtained before the commencement of commercial operations.

In addition to the NMIAL updates, Scindia shared the government's broader vision of creating over 200 airports across the country in the next six years and doubling domestic passenger traffic from the current 150 million to 300 million by 2030.

As construction progresses, the airport's capacity for the initial two phases is set at 20 million passengers, with expectations to accommodate 12 million passengers in the first year. The capacity is projected to increase to around 90 million passengers per year by 2032.

NMIAL, responsible for both construction and operation, is a subsidiary of the Adani Group. Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), jointly owned by Adani Airport Holding Limited and Airport Authority of India (AAI), holds a 74 percent stake, with the remainder owned by Cidco. The comprehensive project cost is estimated at approximately Rs. 18,000 crore, positioning NMIAL as the first airport in the country with multi-modal connectivity, encompassing road, rail, metro, and future plans for waterway connections.

BS