The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began operations, with the first flight from Bengaluru, operated by IndiGo, touching down on the runway at 8 am
Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The Navi Mumbai International Airport commenced commercial flight operations on Thursday, marking a key milestone for India's civil aviation sector, while expanding air travel capacity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began operations, with the first flight from Bengaluru, operated by IndiGo, touching down on the runway at 8 am.
The aircraft was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival, a time-honoured aviation tradition marking NMIA's first commercial touchdown and departure, the airport operator said in a statement.
The inaugural arrival was followed by the airport's first departure, an IndiGo flight 6E882 to Hyderabad at 08:40 am, completing NMIA's inaugural arrival and departure cycle, it said.
On the first day, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air will operate domestic services, connecting the new facility to nine destinations across India.
The airport will handle 15 scheduled departures on the first day, it said, adding that during the initial phase, the facility will operate for 12 hours -- between 8 am and 8 pm, with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements (arrivals and departures) per hour, it added.
The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8 this year.
The first phase of the five-phased airport was built at Rs 19,650 crore.
By the time all five phases of the airport are completed, it will be catering to 90 million passengers annually, along with dedicated cargo terminals and multimodal connectivity.
The entire project is being developed in multiple phases under a special purpose vehicle, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), in which the Adani Group has a 74 per cent stake, and the remaining 26 per cent is owned by CIDCO.
From February next year, operations are planned to progressively scale up to round-the-clock services.
1,515 drones deck sky
On Wednesday, a spectacular drone show featuring 1,515 drones was organised to mark the airport's operational launch on the eve of the commencement of operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), according to a press release.
The drones moved in seamless coordination, creating striking aerial formations such as 3D Lotus blooms, Lotus Design Interiors, Airport Logo, Green Airport, plane flying over Mumbai, rise of India, among others, all centred around the theme and splendour of the airport.
The evening brought together innovation and artistry, transforming the night sky into a canvas of memorable and visually compelling displays.
The press note stated that among the audience, the event saw especially-abled persons, young athletes and NMIA employees witness the occasion unfold live in front of them.
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