Navi Mumbai International Airport To Receive DGCA Aerodrome License By August-End; Commercial Operations To Begin From November

The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), being developed by the Adani Group, is on track to secure its aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) by the end of August, paving the way for full commercial operations from mid-November.

Adani Airports Holdings (AAHL) filed for the licence earlier this year.

A preliminary DGCA inspection took place in mid-July, with a final review scheduled in the coming weeks, Financial Express reported.

“Post the inauguration, it will take 45 days to start commercial operations; that is mid-November… We will start with domestic and international operations at one go,” AAHL CEO Arun Bansal was quoted as saying.

Once operational, the airport is expected to handle 20 million passengers within six months, matching its installed capacity.

Given strong demand forecasts, AAHL has already advanced next phase planning, which will treble capacity to 60 million passengers annually by 2029, with potential expansion to 65 million.

The next phase will feature a second runway, an additional terminal, automated people movers linking T1 and T2, and a metro connection.

The next phase involves an investment of Rs 30,000 crore.

By project completion, the total investment will reach around Rs 50,000 crore.

Construction of the next phase is expected to start 3–6 months after Phase 1 operations begin.

AAHL will also delay the demolition of Terminal 1 (T1) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to coincide with NMIA’s next phase inauguration in mid-2029, ensuring T2 at CSMIA does not face overcrowding.

Some sections of T1 are already closed due to structural safety concerns.

By 2032, NMIA and CSMIA will jointly offer 120 million passengers per year capacity.

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