‘Every process, system, facility being tested at Navi Mumbai airport’

As Navi Mumbai International Airport NMIA gears up for its scheduled inauguration anticipation is running high Billed as one of Indiarsquos most ambitious infrastructure projects it promises not just to ease the pressure off Mumbairsquos Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport but also to transform its surrounding area into a business financial and connectivity hub In this exclusive interaction with midday an NMIA spokesperson who did not wish to be identified details the airportrsquos preparedness lastmile challenges passengercentric innovations and the roadmap aheadExcerptsNMIA is scheduled to begin operations on October 8 What percentage of work has been completed so far and what lastminute preparations are currently being fasttrackedNavi Mumbai International Airportrsquos readiness is being guided by a comprehensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer ORAT programme Through staff training simulations and onground support every process system and facility is being tested and refined This ensures that from Day 1 operations are safe secure and smooth mdash offering passengers a seamless travel experience right from the startWhich facilities are still pending and may take more time to become fully functional even after the launchWhile the core passenger experience facilities will be fully functional certain advanced services will be phased in These include the Automated People Mover APM for internal transit planned in Phase III and some nonaero ecosystem projects However all essentials required for safe and efficient passenger handling will be in place from Day 1Have discussions been held with Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport BEST and appbased cab aggregators for dedicated airport routesYes NMIAL is actively collaborating with government authorities to integrate multimodal connectivity The airport will leverage both existing and upcoming infrastructure mdash including road rail and even waterways ensuring seamless access while decongesting traffic NMIA is already acting as a catalyst for wider infrastructure growth across the Mumbai Metropolitan RegionWill prepaid taxi and auto stands be provided at NMIAConvenience and accessibility remain at the core of NMIArsquos design Prepaid and appbased services will be integrated into a wellorganised transport hub ensuring smooth lastmile connectivity for passengersHow is NMIA addressing the risk of bird hits considering the presence of mangroves and water bodies nearbyWe have put in place a multilayered wildlife hazard management system This includes habitat management where grass is kept below 20 cm drainage upgrades are made to prevent waterlogging and targeted interventions are made such as using scarecrows in airfield vehiclesActive deterrents such as predator sounds bird distress calls pyrotechnics and scare devices will also be used There will be realtime monitoring of bird activity as well as coordination with municipal bodies within a 15 km radius to manage garbage and waste Additionally trained personnel will be stationed airside to deploy nonharmful deterrentsWhat special arrangements are being made for disaster management fire safety and medical emergenciesPassenger safety is paramount NMIA will house an inhouse fire station with crash fire tenders and trained firefighters capable of reaching any point within two minutes A dedicated medical team with ambulances will be available roundtheclock backed by tieups with leading hospitalsHow many checkin counters baggage belts lounges and food courts will be operational from the first dayThere will be digitally advanced counters and selfcheckin kiosks for faster processing an ultrafast baggage handling system compliant with IATA 753 standards a curated mix of Mumbairsquos iconic street food regional cuisines international outlets and fine dining with digital ordering via Adani OneApp and multiple premium lounges designed with comfort exclusivity and runway viewsWhat VIP and international traveller facilities will NMIA offer to differentiate it from other airportsNMIA will stand out with a passengerfirst design blending luxury with digital convenience Highlights include premium lounges with business pods family zones and free WiFi curated retail clusters combining luxury brands and local outlets an Indian Food Hall showcasing authentic regional cuisines and paperless contactless travel through biometric boarding DigiYatraAs a new airport what measures are being implemented for renewable energy water conservation and waste managementSustainability is integral to NMIA Key initiatives include a 47MW solar farm rainwater harvesting across the site terminal architecture designed for maximum natural daylight reducing daytime power usage lowflow fixtures for water conservation and electric vehicles at the airside with APMs planned in later phases for reduced emissionsWill NMIA integrate AIbased systems such as biometric boarding smart parking or digital baggage trackingAbsolutely NMIA will feature biometric boarding via DigiYatra smart parking with prebooking and digital payments realtime baggage tracking through IATA 753compliant systems the Adani OneApp offering flight updates parking assistance gate alerts meal preorders and dutyfree shopping and the use of AI machine learning Internet of Things and video analytics for predictive crowd and resource managementHow many direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created in Phase IBeing a greenfield project NMIA has already generated significant employment during construction As operations scale thousands of direct and indirect jobs will emerge across aviation retail logistics and allied industriesIn what ways will NMIA contribute to positioning Navi Mumbai as a financial and business hubWith a capacity of 90 million passengers annually once fully operational NMIA will decongest Mumbai create employment and boost GDP The surrounding NAINA Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area is planned for IT parks warehousing and real estate making Navi Mumbai a parallel hub to Bandra Kurla Complex and Lower ParelAre dedicated hotels or service apartments being planned within or near the airport premisesYes An 80room transit hotel will operate inside the terminal Beyond this passengers can access retail outlets dining courts experiential zones and entertainment options mdash turning NMIA into a destination in itselfRoadmap for the futureAccording to the spokesperson NMIA will expand in the following phasesPhase I amp IITerminal 1 allied infra20 MPPA capacityPhase IIITerminal 230 MPPA cumulative 50 MPPAPhase IVTerminal 320 MPPA cumulative 70 MPPAPhase V Terminal 420 MPPA cumulative 90 MPPA million passengers per annum90000000No of passengers NMIA is capable of accommodating per annum