On the other hand, it would have taken him 20-30 minutes from the Mumbai international airport. NAVI MUMBAI: Interior designer Mithun Roy is not likely to fly out of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) any time soon.
On the evening of June 5, he landed at the airport from Bengaluru “just to experience the new airport,” but it took him two-and-a-half hours to reach his home in Andheri West.
But given the travel time, traffic and inadequate transport facilities, I won’t opt for NMIA in the near future. Once I boarded a cab, it looked like a never-ending journey, as my commute home was during the evening rush hours. “I wanted to see how the airport was constructed and the interiors. The decision was deferred following a meeting with the ministry of civil aviation. Additionally, NMIA is also expanding its ground transport network with more bus and shuttle options for the winter schedule (see box).
The flight, which was an hour-and-a-half long, took off minutes after 7 pm, and by the time I reached home, it was midnight,” recalled the 43-year-old. In fact, the anxiety of frequent fliers peaked early this week resulting in a furore on social media after Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) directed some airlines operating from Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) to move to NMIA for the phased redevelopment of T1. However, on October 5, the airport operator announced a slew of new road transportation initiatives for the winter schedule from October 25 to March 27, 2027.
As Roy said: “The struggle began from booking a cab due to high cancellations.
“The government must now complete the Metro from Mumbai airport to NMIA, on priority to make the maximum travel time between Sahar and Navi Mumbai 30 minutes,” said Benjamin. “These services will strengthen NMIA’s links with MMR and neighbouring cities,” said Subhash Murikenchery, chief airport officer of NMIA.
The present road journey between the two airports takes around 75–120 minutes, and can exceed two hours during heavy traffic. The proposed Metro Line 8 will cover the 34.9-km CSMIA-NMIA airport-to-airport corridor. The project is expected to be completed around 2031. the core demolition and redevelopment plans remain on track While the proposed 265 weekly international flight cancellations have been temporarily deferred. when it does take place, traffic police estimate around 50,000–53,000 light vehicles added to Navi Mumbai roads every day Although the October 25 shift of international flights from Mumbai airport to NMIA is deferred.
Commenting on the present connectivity, Benjamin added, “Introducing buses is not enough, as travel time is vulnerable due to congestion which often leads to travellers missing their flight. road, rail, metro and water links planned to make it a fully connected airport are arriving in phases, with several key projects either nearing completion or years away from becoming operational While NMIA has been operational for nearly a year. The connectivity gap assumes greater significance with Mumbai airport’s T1 redevelopment. Navi Mumbai is stepping up traffic and public transport preparations for a likely increase in airport-bound movement during the winter schedule. Currently, the traffic police are reviewing key routes while transport agencies are expanding bus, taxi and shuttle services to NMIA.
