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Gautam Adani Inspects Navi Mumbai International Airport

Newzdaddy Business Updates

As India counts down to the inauguration of Mumbai’s new airport, the greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), on Wednesday, 8 October 2025, Gautam Adani visited the project site for a comprehensive review and personal walkthrough of the final preparations.

It is worth noting that NMIA has already received its aerodrome licence from India’s civil aviation regulator (DGCA), a key step before operations can begin. The new airport is part of a larger plan to reduce congestion at Mumbai’s existing airport and enhance regional air connectivity. Also, the airport’s terminal design is inspired by India’s national flower, the lotus, making it architecturally unique.

During his visit, the Adani Group Chairman undertook a detailed inspection of the airport, which, once fully operational, will have the capacity to handle 90 million passengers annually — placing it among the largest and most advanced airports in the world. The 90 million-passenger capacity matches what’s planned under full buildout of NMIA across multiple phases. In its launch phase, the airport is expected to handle about 20 million passengers per year, with capacity scaling up later. Additionally, the airport aims to handle about 3.2 million metric tons of cargo annually once fully completed. Adani Group has proposed investing tens of thousands of crores (over ₹57,000 crore) in NMIA development by 2030.

Beyond assessing technical progress and operational readiness, Mr Adani also spent the day connecting with the people who brought the airport to life, underscoring the Group’s belief that infrastructure is not built only with steel and glass, but with human spirit and purpose. Such personal engagements are part of a corporate culture that often emphasises “people first” in big infrastructure initiatives by Adani. The Adani Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Adani Group) often features in narratives of inclusive growth at Adani projects.

He interacted with construction workers to understand their journeys, met engineers and project teams who turned vision into reality, engaged with firefighting staff to acknowledge their critical role in safety, and spent time with differently-abled staff at one of the terminal’s retail outlets, symbolising NMIA’s commitment to inclusion and opportunity.

In many large infrastructure projects, inclusion of differently-abled staff is seen as a symbol of modern, equitable design. Fire safety systems are critical for airport operations; regulators and auditors will closely inspect these before granting final clearances. Given that the airport is in a coastal and marshy zone, special attention is being paid to environmental safeguards and water management in the design.

Reflecting on the visit, he said, “Every runway, every terminal, every gate here carries the imprint of thousands of hands and hearts. This is more than an airport, it is a monument to the spirit of Bharat, built by its people, for its people.” Such language echoes themes in Indian infrastructure discourse, nation-building, pride, and public participation. It also helps reinforce a narrative that links big infrastructure with national purpose, often used in public communication around major projects.

With final touches now underway before its formal inauguration on 8 October by the Prime Minister, Navi Mumbai International Airport (IATA: NMI) stands ready to ease congestion in Mumbai, catalyse economic growth, and serve as a gateway to Bharat’s future, a beacon of India’s ambition, collaboration and confidence.
The IATA code “NMI” has been assigned to NMIA as part of preparations for its global identification.
Analysts expect NMIA to relieve pressure on Mumbai’s old airport and drive development in Navi Mumbai, Panvel and surrounding zones. The airport is also expected to support job creation, real estate growth, and logistics hubs in the region.