 "Navi Mumbai airport test landing")
An Airbus C-295 of the Indian Air Force (IAF) touched down at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) on Friday, marking the formal inaugural flight landing at the place.
A Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jet did a low fly-by at the airport to test the 3.7-km long runway in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Co-operation.
“The airport in Navi Mumbai would ensure ease of travel for passengers and reduce congestion from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. We will aim for commercial operations before March 2025,” said Shinde.
A water cannon salute was accorded to the aircraft after it landed on the airstrip.
The inaugural flight landing comes as elections in the state inch closer. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely to be held next month.
“Today, an IAF C295 aircraft made a successful test landing at the runway at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. We are ready for both flight and fight," Shinde said in reference to the upcoming elections.
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NMIAL will be the second airport to serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and will have a capacity of handling 20 million passengers in the first two phases of operations.
Of that capacity, NMIAL is expected to fly 12 million passengers in the first year. Similarly, the capacity is set to grow to around 90 million passengers per year by 2032.
From the ground. Work in progress
The airport in Navi Mumbai will eventually have two parallel runways, the first for a airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Near the airstrip, an air traffic control (ATC) tower stands out as it overlooks the runway.
This tower would be a temporary construction to handle air traffic movement for the single runway in the initial phases of the airport’s operations. It has been equipped with instruments such as communication and display systems, navigation aids, among others.
This ATC is expected to be in service for six to seven years after it commences commercial operations in 2025.
As the construction of the project progresses over the next few years, another tower will be constructed near terminal buildings to provide coverage to two parallel runways.
Meanwhile, the outer structure of the terminal building has been partially built with a glass facade being installed on parts of the construction.
The entire construction of the airport is expected to be completed in five phases, with the first two phases now expected to be operationalised with a timeline of March 2025.
The project is expected to cost around Rs 18,000 crore.
It is the first airport in the country to have multi-modal connectivity. This includes a linkage to the project via road, rail and a metro system. In the near future, it is set to be connected via a waterway.
NMIAL, responsible for both the construction and operation of the airport, is a subsidiary of the Adani Group. MIAL is a jointly owned subsidiary of Adani Airport Holding Limited and Airport Authority of India (AAI.)
It is a jointly owned subsidiary with MIAL holding 74 per cent and the rest by Cidco.
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 "Navi Mumbai International Airport")
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