Navi Mumbai International Airport

History

The project was first conceived in November 1997 when the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) constituted a Committee to examine the various sites for a second airport for Mumbai. The committee recommended a site at Mandwa-Rewas in June 2000, since the proposed airport was to have a single runway.

In September that year, CIDCO revised the original proposal to provide for a pair of parallel runways and submitted its feasibility report to the MoCA. AAI's sub-committee that examined the Navi Mumbai site found it technically and operationally feasible and suggested that CIDCO carry out a detailed Techno- Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS) of the project. The TEFS was submitted in 2001 following which the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducted a Simulation Study which confirmed that simultaneous operation of two airports was possible with appropriate procedures in place. In February 2007, CIDCO submitted Project Feasibility and Business Plan Report to the MoCA and the project received in-principle approval from the Union Cabinet in July.

In July 2008, the Government of Maharashtra granted approval for development of the project on PPP basis and appointed CIDCO as the nodal agency for its implementation. The project received Defence clearance by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by the end of 2010. The site had several environmental problems in dealing with mangroves and rain/storm water drains in Panvel. There is an NGO fighting government agencies regarding Panvel. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) gave its clearance for the Navi Mumbai international airport on 14 May 2008. The environmental ministry finally cleared the project on 23 November 2010.

Cidco invited global tenders for requests for qualification (RFQ) on 5 February 2014. The agency received 9 bids and shortlisted 4 bidders, including GMR Group, the GVK-led MIAL, Hiranandani Developers, Zurich Airport and Mia Infrastructure with Tata Realty and Infrastructure. It submitted their RFQs to the project management committee (PMC) for scrutiny. The PMC will the submit its report to the Maharashtra Chief Minister who must approve the project, before it receives final approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. GVK was the only bidder in the final two rounds of bidding, causing CIDCO to extend the deadline for the tender twice. Subsequently, the GMR Group submitted a bid. On 13 February 2017, GVK-led MIAL was announced as the winning bidder. GVK offered CIDCO a 12.6% share in revenue compared to the 10.44% offered by the GMR Group. The bid will now be submitted to the State Government for approval.

Airport plans

The coastal land required is about 2,900 ha (7,200 acres) with 1,320 ha (3,300 acres) for the core airport activity and another 245 ha (610 acres) on Waghivali Island to be developed as Mangrove Park and will have two parallel runways each 3,800 m (12,467 ft) long. It is to be located on National Highway 4B near Panvel, about 35 km (22 mi) from the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.

The airport will have a terminal area of 250,000 m² (2,700,000 sq ft) and a cargo area of 100,000 m² (1,100,000 sq ft) and handle 50–55 million passengers annually. The site of airport is located in an area of 9.5 km² (3.7 sq mi)

The new airport will cater to 35 million passengers by 2020, 55 million by 2025, and 90 million by 2030, according to CIDCO.

Runways

The airport is to have two parallel runways, 12,500 ft × 60 ft (3,810 m × 18 m) and spaced 1,550 m (5,090 ft) apart (ICAO minimum requirement is 1,090 m (3,580 ft)) with provision of full length taxi ways on either side of the runways. The runways will be connected to the apron by taxiways with the approach road to the terminal passing underneath. The code 4-F airport will be able to host new-generation aircraft like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8.

Cost

CIDCO's RFQ states that the estimated total project cost for the development of phase 1 and 2 of NMIA will be ₹9,500 crore (US$1.4 billion). The cost of pre-development work is estimated at ₹2,358 crore (US$350 million), which includes ₹1,538 crore (US$230 million) of land development for airport and ₹800 crore (US$120 million) for other works.

Connectivity

National Highway 4B will provide the main road access to the airport from the east, whereas the Aamra Marg will allow access from the west. The planned Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link will connect the airport with Mumbai. The new airport will have a 10-lane approach road to its terminal building flanked by its two runways.

Work

The airport is expected to open in 2019. The deadline was extended by Mr. Devendra Fadnavis the CM of Maharashtra.

Objections to the location

Objections were raised by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests on the current proposed location of the Navi Mumbai International Airport near the Kopra Panvel area, apparently because the construction of the airport would involve reclamation of low-lying areas in an ecologically fragile zone as well as destruction of several hectares of mangroves. There are serious environmental issues. Its construction would damage mangrove cultivation in the 20.4 square kilometres (5,000 acres), besides the diversion of Gadhi and Ulwe rivers, which according to the Union Environment and Forests Ministry is a very serious issue considering the destruction Mumbai faced during the 26 July 2005 floods. As a result of these new developments other locations were considered.

First option of locating near Rewas Mandwa

The proposed airport site is centred on the region of Rewas and Mandwa near Alibag, where the original proposal of a second international airport existed on all regional development plans, and the location was commented to be the most fit and correct, barring the excessive financial cost involved in building a sea-link/creek bridge over the Karanja Creek connecting Uran – Jawaharlal Nehru Port area to the proposed airport at Rewas Mandwa. It is only at a distance of 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) by sea makes it a viable location.

Second option of locating near Kalyan – Nevali

T Kalyan Airstrip, an old and abandoned airstrip of the Second World War era off village Newali near Kalyan-Ambarnath 55 km (34 mi) away from the current airport in Mumbai. The Union Defence Ministry owns the 1,500 acres (610 ha) of land on which it is located. The proposal was centred on those 1,500 acres (610 ha) of land.

Both options were later ruled out and the site was finalised at Ulwe.