Nagpur: The proposed Navi Mumbai international airport in Kopra-Panvel will begin operations from 2019, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Council on Thursday.

"The process of getting permits from various departments shall be completed by January 2015 and the first phase of this airport will start functioning from 2019," Fadnavis said replying to a calling attention motion brought by members Sanjay Datta, Bhai Jagtap, Husnabai Khalife, Sharad Ranpise and Dipti Choudhary.