Mumbai: The upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has been almost two decades in the making. What began as a policy decision in 2007 has weathered environmental battles, resettlement challenges
and engineering breakthroughs to finally near inauguration in September-end. This timeline retraces the milestones that brought India’s financial capital its long-awaited second gateway.
 was nearing its operational limits, as it operates on a single, intersecting runway system. By 2007, the union cabinet gave in-principle approval for a new greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai. The goal was to relieve mounting congestion at CSMIA and prepare Mumbai for surging passenger demand.</p><aside>Navi Mumbai News: Over 1,100 Vehicles Rally To Demand NMIA Be Named After D.B. Patil</aside> <p><strong>2011–2017: Navigating Clearances and Challenges</strong></p><p>Between 2011 and 2017, the project became a test case in balancing urban ambition with ecological and social responsibility. City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the nodal agency, was tasked with orchestrating one of India’s most complex rehabilitation and resettlement exercises. Thousands of families in villages around Panvel and Ulwe had to be relocated, compensated and integrated into new housing clusters.</p> <p>Simultaneously, engineers re-designed drainage systems and river diversions to safeguard wetlands and prevent flooding. Clearances from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change came only after protracted reviews. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed further conditions to ensure flight safety in a terrain crisscrossed by hills and tidal flows.</p><figure><img alt=)
2025: Countdown to Inauguration
By July, work is 94% complete. Final safety checks and passenger-flow simulations underway.
30 September 2025: Formal inauguration of the state-of-the-art facility.
Phase 1
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Inauguration date: September 30, 2025
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Area: 1,160 hectares (2,866 acres)
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Passenger capacity: 20mn annually
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Cargo capacity: 0.5mn tonnes
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Runways: One operational in Phase 1
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Design: Lotus-inspired terminal by Zaha Hadid Architects, London
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Investment: Rs16,700 crore (estimated)
Why NMIA Matters
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Relief for CSMIA: Mumbai’s sole existing airport, designed for 50 million passengers, is at breaking point. NMIA will immediately ease congestion.
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Twin-airport model: Mumbai joins global cities like London, Dubai and New York in leveraging multi-airport systems for efficiency and growth.
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Technology and passenger experience: AI-driven security, biometric boarding, and automated baggage systems set new benchmarks in India.
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Green commitment: From day one, NMIA pledges to be India’s first 100% green airport.
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Catalyst for jobs and growth: Expected to generate tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs while anchoring Navi Mumbai’s urban expansion.
