Watch: Inaugural Landing of IAF C-295 at Navi Mumbai International Airport

Mumbai: Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), set to begin operations in March 2025, witnessed its first aircraft landing on October 11 during a trial run by the Indian Air Force(IAF), when Airbus C295 transport aircraft landed on the newly built runwayof the airport, on Friday.  

IAF aircrafts Airbus C295 transport aircraft took off from NMIA on Friday, marking a crucial step in the runway tests before the airport's expected opening in March 2025.

The first phase of the airport, a joint project by Adani Airports and CIDC, is expected to be completed by March 2025.

The trial run was conducted between 10 am and 2 pm in the presence of  Maharashtra CM  Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM  Devendra Fadnavis . 

The aircraft touched down on the newly completed 3,700 meter runway, marking a significant milestone in the airport's development. Officials reported that 75% of the terminal building has already been constructed.

"The airport should be fully operational for domestic flights by March 2025, with international services expected to commence within the following five to six months," said a spokesperson for the project.

The state-of-the art facility, covering 1,200 hectares, is designed to accommodate four terminals and two runways. Once fully operational, it will have the capacity to serve 90 million passengers annually, provide parking for 350 aircraft, and handle 2.6 million tonnes of cargo. The initial phases of Terminal 1 are projected to have a passenger capacity of 20 million and a cargo handling capacity of 0.8 million tonnes.