India’s First Offshore Airport To Be Built Near Mumbai, Construction On Artificial Island Gets Environmental Clearance

India is set to build its first offshore airport off Mumbai, the country's financial capital, as part of the government's strong push to develop aviation infrastructure.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the airport will be built on an artificial island off the Vadhvan seaport along India's western coast, inspired by Hong Kong International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport, both of which are constructed on reclaimed land.

The project has already received initial clearances from the Union Environment and Defence Ministries, as well as the Maharashtra state government, after a top-level meeting last month.

Feasibility studies will now be undertaken with the Airports Authority of India managing the process. After these studies are done, the estimated investment needed will be revealed.

Situated approximately 125 kilometres from Mumbai’s current international airport, the Vadhvan airport is set to become a crucial part of India’s expanding aviation network.

However, large-scale undertakings of this nature typically require extensive timelines—China’s Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport, the world’s largest offshore airport, is expected to be completed only by 2035.

Apart from the airport, the Vadhvan seaport, once functional, will be the nation's deepest and largest, greatly boosting trade and logistics.

The offshore airport, without the problem of land acquisition, should enhance connectivity. But one of the major challenges will be providing sufficient passenger traffic to warrant the huge investment.

To bolster accessibility, the airport will be linked to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, while two major highways—New Delhi-Mumbai and Mumbai-Vadodara—will facilitate road travel.

Mumbai’s third airport in the making, the Vadhvan project will require seamless integration with the Navi Mumbai International Airport, currently being developed by the Adani Group.