MUMBAI : India’s financial capital is preparing to open the long-delayed Navi Mumbai International Airport(NMIA) a $2 billion project that promises to ease congestion at the city’s overworked Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which has hit its 55-million passenger annual capacity.

Spread over 1,100 hectares and connected by India’s longest sea bridge, the new airport will initially handle 20 million additional passengers, with capacity to expand to 90 million annually. It will make Mumbai the first major Indian city to operate two international airports.

The airport, run by Adani Airport Holdings, will be India’s first fully digital facility, with Indigo, Akasa Air and Air India already announcing new routes.

But challenges remain. Located 40 km from the city centre, it can take up to three hours to reach, with metro connectivity still years away. Analysts warn poor last-mile links and regulatory hurdles could slow its ambition to become a regional hub comparable to Singapore or Dubai.

Despite this, aviation experts say NMIA marks a critical step in India’s fast-growing aviation market, with airlines placing record aircraft orders to meet soaring demand.