Domestic flights from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) are set to take off in April, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar announced on March 10. 

He also revealed plans for a third airport for Mumbai near Vadhvan Port in Palghar district, stressing on growing aviation demands.

Speaking about the progress of NMIA, Pawar confirmed that 85 per cent of the airport’s construction is complete. The 1,160-hectare facility at Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, is designed to handle 90 million passengers and 2.6 million tonnes of cargo annually.

“The project is in its final stages, and test flights have been conducted successfully. Domestic flight operations will commence from April 2025,” said Pawar.

To enhance connectivity between Mumbai’s existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and NMIA, Pawar also announced that work on a metro corridor linking the two airports would begin soon.

Acknowledging Mumbai’s growing air traffic needs, Pawar suggested a third airport near Vadhvan Port to support the city’s aviation burden. Additionally, he announced plans to introduce a night landing facility at Shirdi Airport, improving accessibility for travellers.

Plans are in motion to redevelop Terminal 1 of CSMIA in Mumbai. The terminal, which currently handles a significant portion of domestic flights, will undergo phased renovations starting in November. The project, managed by Mumbai International Airport Limited, will see the demolition and reconstruction of the existing terminal, with the new facility expected to be operational by 2029.

During the redevelopment phase, passengers will be accommodated at Terminal 2 of CSMIA and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. Once completed, the revamped Terminal 1 will boost capacity by 42 per cent, allowing it to accommodate up to 20 million passengers per year.