The long -awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) airport will start flight surgery and start into a new era of air travel. Sprawling over 1,160 hectares near Panvel has the promising modern design, groundbreaking facilities and environmentally friendly functions. With this, NMIA is prepared to facilitate the overload at the city’s existing airport at the same time as a seamless, futuristic travel experience for millions of domestic and international passengers.Today about 15 o’clock, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Will be touring in the recently built airport, and at 15:30 it will be inaugurated formally. NMIA is Mumbai’s second international airport and India’s largest Greenfield Airport project, with an estimated cost of 19,650 INR. The airport is one of the country’s most ambitious aviation projects, with an astonishing 1,160 hectare space that can eventually handle 3.25 million tonnes of cargo and 90 million people annually.Read more: The whole country can be taken on rent for a day! Incredible facts to know
Location and availability
The airport is strategically located in Panvel Taluka, on the outskirts of Mumbai, about 46 km from Chhatrapathy Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMia) and about 120 km from Pune. It is located between National Highway 48 and Amra Marg and provides easy access to the Mumbai-Pune corridor. A new link road along the Mumbai Pune Expressway, which passes Lonavala, is expected to reduce the travel time from Pune to NMIA by about two and a half hours, which significantly improves regional accessibility.
The airport will reduce the time commuters from neighboring districts such as Vashi, Alibaug, Thane, Karjat and Lonavala must spend to Mumbai’s current airport. NMIA is connected to northern and central Mumbai by Sion-Panvel Highway, Palm Beach Road, Amra Marg (NH348A) and NH548, while Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL) offers a quick road from South Mumbai. Currently under development, a 21.8 km Ulwe Coastal Road will create a continuous corridor from western to southern Mumbai by connecting the western beach to the airport via Atal Setu.Read more: Imd forecasts severe temperature drop: heavy rain and cold winds sweep the region
Airport design and facilities
Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the London -based studio behind Beijing Daxing International Airport, and NMIA’s terminal draws inspiration from Lotus, India’s national flower. Glass facades and patterned lattice screens (Jaali) allow natural light to illuminate interiors while keeping spaces cool. By supplementing this architectural elegance, the airport will show artwork inspired by Maharashtra’s history and culture, housed in two museums outside the security control area, although details of these are still under development.NMIA is also designed for sustainable operations. Solar energy installations that generate approximately 47 MW, dedicated SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) storage, EV bus services and even water taxi connection, which is a first in India, make the airport unique and one-of-a kind. There will also be an automated People Mover (APM) available that will connect all passenger terminals and infrastructure in the city to ensure smooth transit within the airport complex.
Terminals, runways and passenger capacity
According to the reports, NMIA will handle 20 million passengers annually in its first phase, which will eventually scale up to 90 million when it has completed all five phases. There will be four terminals and two parallel paths, which have been designed to handle both domestic and international flights effectively. In addition, a dedicated VVIP terminal, for which construction will start in 2026 and reach completion by 2030, will meet celebrities, business leaders and top officials and thus place Navi Mumbai as a hub for private flights.
Airlines and aviation operations
Indigo, Air India and Akasa Air are the first confirmed carriers flying out from NMIA. In March 2026, Indigo would have 79 daily flights, including 14 foreign routes, and in November 2026 it will have over 100 daily flights to more than 15 cities. In the middle of 2026, Air India Express will have 55 daily flights, including five international, up from its first 20 domestic departures. Akasa Air will start with about 100 domestic flights per week before growing to over 300 domestic and 50 foreign flights per week.
The airport has been awarded the IATA code NMI and ICAO Code Vanm, which separates the CSMia existing from Mumbai, which continues to use Bom. Travelers are recommended to ensure that NMI is shown on booking platforms when commercial operations begin.
Regional impact
NMIA is expected to decongest CSMIA, give faster access to passengers from surrounding cities and improve the total air connection in the region. By reducing travel times for domestic and international passengers, the airport will offer a modern, effective alternative to Mumbai’s current airport, which benefits both leisure and business travelers.
