October 2, 2025

Get ready, Mumbai! The Navi Mumbai International Airport is finally ready to spread its wings. After waiting for so long—years of delays and disappointment—the big day is near. The airport will be inaugurated on October 30. Domestic flights will begin by the end of November or early December, officials say. Even the Prime Minister is expected to attend this grand event! The road here wasn’t easy. For the past decade, this project faced several bumps. Last year alone, the opening was postponed three times! Many in the aviation world doubted the September target the state government set earlier. But now, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has kept the runway closed only until September 20, signaling that the airport is indeed ready for take-off. The AAI had been extending the runway closure since May, as work was still ongoing. First, they aimed for mid-May, then August 7, then September 3. This October 30 date, aviation experts say, is “practically locked in.” Now, how will passengers travel to this new airport? Officials have already mapped out smooth routes from many parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR): 1. From the Island City (Worli): Via Freeway → Atal Setu → Ulwe-Belapur Road (35 km, 70 minutes) 2. Eastern Suburbs (Powai): Eastern Express Highway → Vashi Bridge → Thane-Belapur Road → Belapur-Ulwe Road (34 km, 70 minutes) 3. Thane (Viviana Mall): Eastern Express Highway → Mumbra-Airoli Road → Thane-Belapur Road → Belapur-Ulwe Road (34 km, 60 minutes) 4. Western Suburbs (Goregaon, Oberoi Mall): Western Express Highway → Sea Link → Worli → Freeway → Atal Setu → Ulwe-Belapur Road (45 km, 95 minutes) 5. Mira Road (Beverly Park): Ghodbunder Road → Thane-Belapur Road → Belapur-Ulwe Road (50 km, 135 minutes) 6. Navi Mumbai (Vashi): Palm Beach Road → Belapur-Ulwe Road (14 km, 30 minutes). CIDCO is also working on a new direct Palm Beach Road connector to the airport terminal. 7. Kalyan, Dombivli, Badlapur, Ambernath (Starting at Kalyan Junction): Shilphata Road → Sion-Panvel Highway → Ulwe-Belapur Road (37 km, 120 minutes) Looking ahead, to make travel even easier, shuttle bus services will link the airport with important railway stations such as Seawoods, Nerul, Belapur, Taloja, and Targhar, with Targhar being the closest stop. And that’s not all — by 2030, a direct Metro Line 8 (known as the Gold Line) will connect Mumbai’s main airport to Navi Mumbai’s airport, with construction starting in 2025. There’s also a plan for a water taxi service from a proposed jetty near the airport’s SEZ, linking passengers by speed boats, hovercrafts, and catamarans. Remember, travel times mentioned are for peak hours. Some routes that look shorter may actually take longer because of Mumbai’s infamous traffic jams. For instance, people from Andheri, Santacruz, Vile Parle, and Bandra might still like to use the Atal Setu route even though it is longer, as it avoids bottlenecks near Vashi Naka. With good roads, shuttle buses, and future metro and water connections, the new airport promises quick and easy travel from day one. If all goes as planned, Navi Mumbai will become India’s second big aviation hub after Mumbai International Airport. This will ease the heavy traffic at Mumbai airport and change the way we fly across western India. The wait is almost over, and the skies are ready to welcome us!

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Tags: Navi mumbai international airport, Airport inauguration, Flight operations, Connectivity plans, Mumbai metropolitan region, Transport,