In a landmark development for India’s aviation and urban infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) — one of the country’s largest greenfield airport projects — and Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line).
Developed at a cost of ₹19,650 crore, NMIA is located in Ulwe, Raigad district, and has been implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) between the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd. (CIDCO) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd., a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Ltd.
Designed to handle 20 million passengers annually in its first phase, NMIA’s long-term capacity is projected to reach 90 million passengers per year, placing it among Asia’s busiest airports, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Spread across 1,160 hectares, the airport features a 3,700-metre runway, advanced terminals, and multimodal connectivity through highways, suburban rail, and the upcoming Navi Mumbai Metro.
Once fully operational, the airport will work in tandem with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), transforming the Mumbai Metropolitan Region into a dual-airport hub comparable to global cities such as London, New York, and Tokyo.
Cargo operations are also a key focus, with the facility expected to handle 3.2 million metric tonnes of freight annually, offering a direct trade link for India’s western industrial corridor. The airport incorporates sustainability features including 47 MW of solar power, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) storage, and electric vehicle (EV) bus services. It will also be India’s first airport connected by Water Taxi, providing a unique multimodal travel option.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), connecting Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, built at an estimated cost of ₹12,200 crore. With this, the entire 33.5-kilometre fully underground corridor from Cuffe Parade to Aarey — constructed at a total cost of ₹37,270 crore — has been dedicated to the nation.
The Metro Line 3 will serve an estimated 13 lakh passengers daily through 27 stations, providing direct connectivity to key business and administrative districts such as Fort, Kala Ghoda, Marine Drive, Mantralaya, RBI, BSE, and Nariman Point. Integrated with other urban transport systems — including suburban rail, monorail, and other metro lines — the project is expected to significantly ease congestion in Mumbai’s core city areas.
In a further push towards integrated urban mobility, Modi also launched the “Mumbai One” App, a unified platform for 11 transport operators, including Mumbai Metro Lines 1, 2A, 3, and 7, the Monorail, Navi Mumbai Metro, Suburban Railways, and multiple municipal bus services. The app offers mobile ticketing, real-time updates, multimodal trip planning, and SOS features, designed to simplify commuting across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Additionally, the Prime Minister launched the Short-Term Employability Program (STEP), spearheaded by the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, Maharashtra. The program will operate in 400 Government ITIs and 150 Government Technical High Schools, introducing 2,500 new training batches, including 364 for women and 408 focused on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Electric Vehicles (EVs), Solar Energy, and Additive Manufacturing.
The day’s inaugurations, government officials said, reflect the Centre’s and Maharashtra’s joint focus on building world-class infrastructure, sustainable growth, and future-ready employment ecosystems.
