Navi Mumbai: While the country is waiting eagerly for the operationalisation of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), Adani Airports Holding Ltd (AAHL), the company entrusted with the job to construct the airport, has been constantly striving to complete the first phase of the airport. The company took over the work from GVK MIAL, the original concessionaire of the project, in August, 2021.
“Since the day we took over the construction of NMIA, we have been engaged in the work on a war footing to achieve commercial operation by December, 2024. As on date, we have managed to complete more than 70% of the runway construction while the work to develop terminal building and other utility structures is going on in full swing,” a spokesperson from Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL) told Free Press Journal.
AAHL Speaks On CIDCO's Stake
Asked whether the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which holds 24% stake in the project, has handed over the entire land to the AAHL, the spokesperson replied in the affirmative. “In June 2022, CIDCO cleared all the 3,070 structures located in the project area while the entire site area of 1,160 Hectares was handed over to NMIAL for airport construction,” he said, but didn’t respond to the issue of addressing pending issues of the project affected persons (PAPs).
“CIDCO is the authority to respond to the query of meeting PAPs’ demands as also providing employment, skill training and payment of compensation,” the AAHL spokesperson added.
While the change in ownership and commencement of work on NMIA site began in August, 2021, the AAHL achieved financial closure in March, 2022. The NMIAL issued a notice to proceed (NTP) to its EPC contractor L&T Construction in June, 2022 for building Phase I & II (20 MPA) facilities, the construction work for Terminal 1 building commenced in November, 2022.
“In February, 2023, the first slab of the Terminal 1 headhouse basement was completed and the NMIAL initiated the DBM work (Wet Mix Macadam) on the runway. The company then initiated the installation of the Airfield Ground Lighting System with the laying of an electrical conduit in March, 2023 while raiding the first mega column of the Passenger Terminal Building was also carried out,” the spokesperson said and added that NMIAL commenced the work on ATC and ARFF building work in June, 2023 while in November, 2023, it commenced the Roof Lining Installation work, further accelerating the development of the inner roof and interior work of the airport.
Meanwhile, CAPA, the aviation consultancy firm, had said in its report that NMIA’s construction is facing delays, and is likely to commence commercial operations in 2025 instead of 2024. Replying to this, AAHL said the project is being executed as per scheduled implementation plan and will be operational by the original target date of December, 2024, without any delay.
About The Prestigious NMIA Project
The start of operations of the NMIA is eagerly awaited by one and all. The second airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is expected to significantly decongest Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), also managed by AAHL.
The total investment of the NMIA project has been pegged at Rs 20,853 crore. The airport was first proposed back in 1999 and would be built in over 1,160 Ha of land in its entirety, aims to handle up to 9 crore passengers and 25 lakh tonnes of cargo per year. Situated around 35 kms away from Mumbai airport, the NMIA will have two cargo terminals and one for general aviation apart from four terminals for passengers. It will offer two runways. The entire airport’s completion timeline is set for 2032.
Project Background
Mumbai Airport is handling close to 48.81 million passengers per annum (MPPA) during pre-Covid times and to meet the anticipated MMR air travel demand of 100 MPPA by 2034, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) granted approval for the development of airport at Navi Mumbai. NMIA, one of the world’s largest Greenfield International Airports proposed for development in the country, is planned to handle minimum of 60 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. The airport is aimed to ease off the traffic pressure on the Mumbai airport. Along with CSMIA, the NMIA will form part of the first multi airport city system in India with excellent physical and social infrastructure making the airport technically feasible and financially viable. NMIA is being developed through PPP by setting-up a Special Purpose Company with equity contribution from CIDCO. The Project has been accorded all major clearances including Environment & CRZ clearance and Forest / Wildlife Clearances from MoEF&CC and Defence Clearance from Ministry of Defence.
All the structures from six villages falling in the area required for development of Phase 1 of Airport (south runway) i.e. Kopar, Koli, Chinchpada, Varcha Owala, Vaghiwali Pada and Ulwe have been demolished. The original inhabitants were given the best compensation package by the state government under the suitable provisions of Land Acquisition, Resettlement & Rehabilitation Act (LARR), 2013.
