Mumbai’s New Gateway Across the Harbour — Navi Mumbai Airport To Have 'Integrated Eco-Mobility System'
This mobility system has been designed to decrease traffic congestion and the time taken to reach the airport.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport will have its own "integrated eco-mobility system", which has been designed to decrease traffic congestion and the time taken to reach the airport, according to a release issued on Thursday.
The airport is nearing completion and is projected to be inaugurated by the end of September, the release said.
Designed to serve as an alternative to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the new airport will be located in Ulwe, near Panvel and will take up 1,160 hectares.
It is near the the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, the Goa highway, and the JNPT port complex.
People travelling by road from Mumbai city can reach it via the Sion–Panvel Highway which passes through Vashi, Nerul and Belapur. Those from the western suburbs can take the Eastern Freeway connecting South Mumbai to Vashi, which according to the release could take place under 25 minutes before merging with the aforementioned highway.
Travellers can also reach it using the Atal Setu trans harbour link, which cuts through through the Arabian Sea from Sewri to Nhava Sheva. This seen asthe quickest route to the new airport.
"With Atal Setu, the city across the harbour suddenly feels like an extension of South Mumbai, with Ulwe and Panvel accessible in barely 20 minutes. For business travellers, airline staff and tourists, this bridge is expected to be the quickest route to NMIA," the release said.
Metro extensions and a revitalised Panvel hub will further connect Pune, Raigad and the Konkan belt, turning long commutes into easy transfers. "For travellers—whether business class or budget—the promise is clear: less time in traffic, more certainty in planning, and a world-class airport experience anchored by infrastructure that keeps pace with ambition," the release added.
For instance, a traveller from South Mumbai will soon drive across Atal Setu in 20 minutes and, traffic permitting, be at the terminal within 40 minutes door-to-door. Or, a family from Thane could catch an airport express bus that runs directly to the terminal, avoiding the stress of changing vehicles. Similarly, a professional from Pune might board a train to Panvel, connect to a dedicated shuttle, and arrive at the airport without battling highway congestion.
"These scenarios are not yet fully realised, they illustrate the kind of integrated mobility ecosystem NMIA is meant to anchor," it added.
City and Industrial Development Corporation, which has overseen much of the project, is building a nine-kilometre elevated corridor to funnel traffic directly into the airport.
For those using public transport, metro extensions and fleets of airport express buses have been planned.
There will be metro extensions and a revamped Panvel hub to connect Pune, Raigad and the Konkan belt.
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation is drawing up plans for dedicated airport express buses from Thane, Dadar, Vashi and Panvel, with electric fleets on the table to keep emissions low. Planners envision Panvel station serving as a regional hub, where passengers from Pune or the Konkan can transfer seamlessly onto shuttles bound for the terminal.
The Metro’s Line 1, already operational between Belapur and Pendhar, is expected to extend toward Ulwe, bringing the airport into its fold in future phases.
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