What followed was not swift execution but years of studies, revised plans, and regulatory hurdles stretching the project far beyond its original timelines.

Rising air traffic and limited space

Mumbai’s aviation infrastructure has expanded largely in response to mounting pressure rather than advance planning. The Juhu aerodrome served as the city’s main airport until the Santa Cruz airport opened in 1942, initially handling just six flights a day. As passenger traffic increased, expansions followed, including a new terminal at Sahar in the late 1970s and the opening of a revamped and privatised Mumbai airport with an integrated terminal in 2014.

Each expansion provided temporary relief, but demand continued to rise, reinforcing the need for an additional airport outside the city.

Studies and site selection

The first concrete step towards a new airport was taken in 1996, when a pre-feasibility study examined the Navi Mumbai option. This was followed by a techno-economic feasibility study between 1999 and 2000, which supported the case for additional capacity and identified the Panvel region as a viable location.

In 2001, the Maharashtra Government submitted a formal proposal to the Centre. At the same time, the Ministry of Civil Aviation examined several sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Mandwa Rewas. Navi Mumbai was initially considered suitable only for domestic operations because of runway constraints, prompting the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to later revise the plan to include two parallel runways.

Clearances and early approvals

A key technical hurdle was addressed in 2006, when the International Civil Aviation Organisation carried out a simulation study to assess whether two airports could operate safely in close proximity. The study concluded that coordinated operations were feasible.

This led to the Union Cabinet granting in-principle approval on May 31, 2007. Consultants were appointed to prepare a master plan, and early timelines projected the airport becoming operational by the early 2010s. Those timelines soon slipped.

Environmental objections

The proposed airport site on the Kopra Panvel stretch lies in an ecologically sensitive area. Nearly one-third of the land fell within the Coastal Regulation Zone, and the presence of mangroves, wetlands, and two rivers made clearances difficult.

In April 2008, the Ministry of Environment refused approval, stalling the project and reopening debates over location and design. While alternative sites were discussed, the state government maintained that shifting the project was not feasible.

After prolonged discussions between the Centre and the state, a detailed environmental impact assessment was commissioned and submitted in December 2009, delaying the project further.

Once regulatory issues began to ease, land acquisition and rehabilitation became major challenges. The project affected thousands of families across several villages, with around 457 hectares of land acquired from seven villages.

Construction finally begins
Although global tenders were floated in 2014 and a GVK-led consortium was selected in 2017, the project continued to face on-ground delays.

A decisive shift came in 2021, when the Adani Group took over the project and construction began under a joint venture with Cidco. By then, more than 35 years had passed since the idea of a second airport was first proposed.

Large-scale pre-development work, including land preparation and river diversion, was completed before the airport neared readiness. Navi Mumbai International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8, with operations scheduled to begin on December 25.

How the airport will operate initially

When operations begin, the airport will start with a limited schedule. In its first month, it will operate for 12 hours a day from 8 am to 8 pm, handling about 23 departures daily, or roughly 46 flight movements including arrivals.

Airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express will operate domestic services during this initial phase, with flight numbers expected to increase gradually.

The airport is spread across about 1,160 hectares and will initially operate Terminal 1, which can handle up to 20 million passengers a year. A second terminal planned for later phases will add further capacity. The airport will eventually have two parallel runways and a separate cargo facility.

Once fully developed, the airport is expected to handle up to 60 million passengers annually, easing pressure on Mumbai’s existing airport.