Rajnath Singh, Ram Mohan Naidu invited to Navi Mumbai airport runway test

Mumbai: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cancelled visit to the Navi Mumbai Airport site on 5 October, the state government has extended invitations to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to witness a test of the newly constructed runway at the greenfield airport.
The City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is overseeing the construction of the Navi Mumbai Airport, with the contract awarded to Adani Airports. The runway is now fully complete.
With elections on the horizon, the Shiv Sena-BJP and NCP-led government is eager to showcase their progress. The first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is slated for completion by March 2025.
To demonstrate readiness, CIDCO has been in discussions with the Indian Air Force regarding the landing of a C-130J transport plane and a Su-30 fighter aircraft on the 3,750-metre runway.
A senior state government official said, “We had requested the Prime Minister to witness the aircraft landing. However, he has a full schedule at Pohradevi in Vidarbha, followed by the inauguration of Mumbai Metro 3 and a meeting in Thane.”
“Since the Prime Minister’s visit is not possible, we have invited Rajnath Singh and Ram Mohan Naidu to come to Mumbai,” the official added.
The C-130J aircraft is capable of landing and taking off from short runways, such as the one at Juhu aerodrome.
In July and August of this year, Airport Authority of India aircraft conducted instrument landing system trials at the site.
The main terminal building is nearing completion. The state has also instructed CIDCO to prepare a detailed project report for an airport-to-airport metro line. Additionally, CIDCO has issued a tender for a coastal road to connect the Atal Setu bridge with the NMIA.
The ₹16,000-crore airport project, when operational, is expected to significantly enhance Mumbai’s air connectivity and ease congestion at the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.