October 7, 2025: The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), scheduled for inauguration on October 8, is set to become India’s first fully digital airport, offering facilities such as online check-in, baggage drop, immigration services and pre-booked parking, according to Arun Bansal, Chief Executive Officer of Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL).
Passengers will benefit from technology-driven services, including queuing time monitors and virtual queues that allow them to book slots for security checks. Commercial operations are expected to commence in December following a 45–60 day phase of security and system testing.
“There is a pent-up demand of around 15–20 million passengers, and we intend to capture that growth,” said Bansal, adding that NMIA’s dual runways will enable it to retain international traffic within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India and Akasa have confirmed operations from the 1,160-hectare facility, with total capacity expected to reach around 20 million passengers initially. The airport will operate between 8am and 8pm during its first phase, handling 8–10 aircraft movements per hour.
The airport will begin with approximately 40% international traffic, gradually increasing to 75%. NMIA will also house India’s largest maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and absorb much of Mumbai’s general aviation and cargo operations.
Designed as an “anxiety-free” airport, NMIA will feature paperless processes, AI-enabled baggage tracking, and food delivery at boarding gates. The lotus-inspired terminal will integrate sustainability measures including 47 MW of solar power, rainwater harvesting and electric airside vehicles.
Built to withstand extreme weather, NMIA will handle up to 90 million passengers annually by 2040 across four interconnected terminals linked by a 10 km automated people mover.
Source: Hindustan Times
