Key internal infra ready at Navi Mumbai airport: Officials

The road that leads one from Targhar railway station to Navi Mumbai International Airport. Pics/Amarjeet Singh

With just over a month left before the first flight departs from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on December 25, officials connected to the project say that key internal infrastructure required to begin operations is ready, while external work being handled by local agencies is in its final stages.

An NMIA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told mid-day that the airport-side responsibilities have been completed. "Whatever comes under the NMIA's scope is ready. The airport police station building is complete from the inside, and the Navi Mumbai police have to take the handover. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) facility has already been handed over. The meteorological department building is set up and ready to monitor weather conditions. All mandatory structures required before a flight can take off are either completed or in their final stages," the official said.

The official also confirmed that the immigration and passport control building is ready and functional. A puja ceremony has already been performed inside the building after the interior work was completed. This facility will handle international passengers once global operations begin, though domestic operations are expected to start first.

Apart from security and immigration infrastructure, airport officials said the departure flyover leading to the terminal is almost complete, with minor work remaining in certain stretches. The view from the approach road still shows ongoing activity, but officials maintain that the pending work will not affect flight readiness. "The departure road structure is done. Only small finishing touches remain," the official added.

Street lighting on the approach roads continues to be one of the major remaining tasks. According to NMIA authorities, this responsibility lies with the local bodies. "There are provisions for auto stands and last-mile facilities inside the airport boundary, but anything beyond that is under CIDCO and the traffic department. They will decide the exact locations and operations of taxi and autorickshaw stands," the official said.

Public transport connectivity is also being tied up. Targhar railway station on the Nerul-Uran line has been identified as the nearest suburban station for flyers. However, if Targhar station does not open in time for the launch, officials said auto services will be made available from Bamandongri station so that passengers are not inconvenienced on the first day of operations.

Officials associated with the project said coordination meetings between CIDCO, local authorities and airport developers are being held almost daily. These meetings track progress on street lights, signage, traffic arrangements, and last-mile connectivity to ensure that the December 25 deadline is met. "The opening date is fixed and cannot be pushed. Everyone is working towards the same target," an official involved in the coordination said.

For Navi Mumbai residents, the opening of NMIA marks the end of years of delays, litigation and infrastructure hurdles that stretched the project timeline far longer than originally planned. With major internal facilities ready and external works moving ahead, authorities are confident that the airport will meet its Christmas Day launch schedule.

If all remaining tasks progress as planned, the city will finally see its second airport operational next month, easing pressure on the congested Mumbai airport and giving Navi Mumbai its long-awaited aviation infrastructure.