Navi Mumbai Airport set to boost MMR air traffic to 15 crore passengers by 2032

Mumbai: Mumbai is all set for a twin-airport model akin to Dubai’s DXB–DWC, London’s Heathrow–Gatwick, and New York’s JFK–Newark pairs — and by 2032, the hustling-bustling financial capital of India will handle 15–16 crore passengers annually.

For years, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA)—with more than 5 crore passengers annually—has connected Mumbai to India and the rest of the world, even operating under capacity constraints.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is set to be commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by September end.

The new airport will transform the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR), which comprises the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban and large stretches of adjoining districts of Palghar-Thane-Raigad.

The NMIA will support the rapidly growing air travel needs of MMR and Pune metropolitan region (PMR).

Located at Ulwe in the Raigad district, the Terminal 1 of Phase 1, is built to handle 2 crore passengers annually, covering both domestic and international services.

The larger masterplan envisions up to four terminals by 2032, capable of collectively handling 90 million passengers per year.

“By 2032, NMIA’s 90 million capacity—combined with CSMIA’s load—will allow Mumbai to handle 150–160 million passengers annually, on par with the global benchmarks set by New York, Dubai and London. With limited room for expansion and a single runway nearing saturation, Mumbai urgently needed a second international hub. NMIA delivers that solution,” NMIA officials said.

The initial investment involves around Rs 16,000 crore.

The distance between the CSMIA and NMIA is around 40 kms, however, connectivity issues are being addressed.

A seamless transfer model, supported by multimodal transport—road, metro, suburban rail, and water links—will eventually connect NMIA and CSMIA, ensuring that India’s busiest business city operates with the same infrastructure sophistication as premier world capitals.

The twin-airport strategy mirrors global precedents: distributing traffic between two facilities to decongest bottlenecks, de-risk operations and provide passengers with greater airline and route choices.

“The launch of NMIA is not just about another runway. It represents India’s most ambitious airport project, designed to resolve decades of capacity challenges while symbolising the country’s infrastructure ambitions. For passengers, it will deliver faster, smarter, and more comfortable journeys. For businesses, it unlocks new corridors of connectivity and growth. And for Mumbai, it secures a place alongside Dubai, London and New York as one of the world’s great twin-airport systems,” the officials added.

The NMIA–CSMIA pairing positions Mumbai firmly alongside the world’s most sophisticated multi-airport systems. Data shows that Dubai International (DXB) already accommodates more than 90 million

passengers annually, with Al Maktoum International (DWC) is being scaled to eventually exceed 120 million. London’s network of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton manages over 180 million passengers, while New York distributes about 130 million across JFK, Newark and LaGuardia.

The NMIA Terminal 1 is built to handle 20 million passengers annually, covering both domestic and international services.

Its design, inspired by the lotus, features a grand roof structure, abundant natural light and sustainable construction practices. The architectural marvel is a symbolic blend of cultural identity and modern ambition.

Inside, the terminal will offer: next-generation check-in zones, equipped with automated kiosks and biometric validation, world-class baggage claim systems, promoted as the fastest globally, expansive waiting lounges and smart security lines with single-lane passage and advanced scanning.

The facilities will incorporate flexible gate management, automated boarding, and seamless digital processing, making travel smoother even during peak flows. Beyond terminals, NMIA will host an integrated aero city with retail, hospitality and logistics hubs—transforming the airport into a self-sustaining economic ecosystem.

But NMIA is more than a passenger hub. It is being developed as a cargo powerhouse, debuting with capacity for 800,000 tonnes annually, with scalability for future volumes. Its role is critical for Mumbai’s pharmaceutical, perishable goods, and e-commerce supply chains.

For corporate travel, NMIA, once complete, will host India’s largest general aviation terminal, with approximately 75 business jet stands and a heliport for both scheduled and unscheduled operations.

Adding to this a fuel farm, advanced maintenance facilities, and a cutting-edge Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower (temporary initially, with a permanent structure to follow within seven years) and NMIA’s blueprint reflects efficiency, safety and forward planning at every level.

Govt now pushing for third airport in MMR

While the second airport in Mumbai is set for launch, the Centre and Maharashtra government has already started preparations for the third airport in the sprawling financial capital.

The state government-run Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has commenced a pre-feasibility study for the development of a Greenfield airport around the Vadhavan area of Palghar district.

Vadhavan (also spelled Wadhawan) - in Palghar district - is located some 140 kms away from downtown Mumbai along the Maharashtra-Gujarat boundary.

The Wadhwan port - a Greenfield all-weather port is coming up in Vadhavan for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has performed the ground-breaking ceremony last year. The total project cost, including the land acquisition component is Rs 76,220 crore.

The port will be constructed by Vadhavan Port Project Ltd (VPPL), an SPV formed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB). This will include development of core infrastructure, terminals and other commercial infrastructure in public-private partnerships (PPP) mode.

There would also be road connectivity between the Vadhavan Port and national highways of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and rail linkage to the existing rail network and the upcoming Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor by the Ministry of Railways.

“An international airport in Vadhavan along with the modern port is going to be a game-changer for Maharashtra’s economy,” officials said.

Ball rolling for Third Mumbai

After Mumbai came the satellite township of Navi Mumbai - and now comes the Third Mumbai.

The Maharashtra government has set in motion the process to develop Third Mumbai, a large mega township that would be near to the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MRHL) and off the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).

It would also have access to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) would be the nodal agency and the project would be executed by the New Town Development Authority (NTDA).

The Third Mumbai would be spread across 323.44 sq km, which would have 124 villages - 80 from the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), 33 from Khopta New Town Notified Area (KNTNA), two from Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Plan (MMRP) and nine from Raigad Regional Plan (RRP).

The Third Mumbai would be an environment-friendly township with features of Smart City - and it would have residential and commercial complexes with focus to boost economy and job creation.

Around NMIA, the government is creating an EduCity project - and top 10 foreign university campuses are planned within a 5 kms radius of the NMIA. Letters of Intent (LoI) had already been handed over to five internationally-renowned foreign universities -Aberdeen University, University of York, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology and Istituto Europeo di Design (IED).

“This will be the first-of-its-kind International EduCity in the country. This project will position Navi Mumbai and Mumbai as a global education hub and it will be one of the biggest drivers to achieve one trillion-economy by Maharashtra and five trillion-economy by India till year 2029,” CIDCO said.

Possibility of Fourth Mumbai

The possibility of a Fourth Mumbai is also being worked out in the Palghar district around the twin Greenfield port-airport project. "We are unlocking the vast potential of Mumbai-MMR," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at a recent event.

“The MMR will be developed as an international level economic development center, a Growth Hub. International level business centers will be established at seven locations, such as Bandra-Kurla Complex, Kurla-Worli, Wadala, Goregaon, Navi Mumbai, Kharghar, and Virar-Boisar. The objective is to increase the size of the economy of MMR from the current US $140 billion to US $300 billion by 2030, and to US $1.5 trillion by 2047,” according to the 2025-26 Maharashtra budget presented by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is the Finance & Planning Minister.