The under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), being built with an eye on the high air traffic demand, will become operational in 2024.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently conducted an aerial survey of the site in a helicopter, following which, Shinde said that work on NMIA is expected to be completed by 2024.
The inauguration of the new airport will be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinde announced after reviewing the work at the airport in Ulwe.
Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis, in a tweet after the aerial inspection, said: "We are focusing on investments, reforms, technology and infrastructure to accelerate Maharashtra's economy. We have adopted the motto 'Infrastructure Led Development' to achieve rapid development. I have no doubt that the Navi Mumbai International Airport will be a milestone in that regard and will usher in the development of a new 'Third Mumbai' after Mumbai, Navi Mumbai.
Here's all you need to know about Navi Mumbai International Airport:
1. Located at the center of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) at Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is spread over an area of 1,160 hectares.
2. The entire cost of the project is Rs 16,700 crore and the airport will have the capacity to handle 2.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2032, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
3. The airport will be built and managed by Adani Airports, one of India's largest airport operators. It will be constructed in four phases with the first two phases likely to be completed by December 2024.
4. The four-phase construction plan includes ways to make the airport one of the most energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable in the world. According to media reports, all vehicles that will be used at the station will be electric, and charging stations will be installed across the airport.
5. It will also extensively use green electricity, a large part of which shall be solar power generated on the site. The terminal's design is inspired by the lotus, India's national flower.
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