CIDCO Begins Consultant Selection for Navi Mumbai Airport’s Third Runway

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has launched the process to appoint a consultant for a techno-commercial feasibility study concerning a proposed third runway at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). This initiative aims to address the region’s long-term aviation demands.

CIDCO has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting bids from qualified entities, including single firms, joint ventures, and consortia. The study will evaluate the technical, operational, and commercial feasibility of introducing a third runway at NMIA, which is currently under development.

Vijay Singhal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of CIDCO, stated, “This step reflects CIDCO’s commitment to forward-looking infrastructure planning, ensuring that Navi Mumbai International Airport continues to evolve in line with the region’s long-term growth and development needs.”

Current Capacity and Future Expansion

Currently, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region relies heavily on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), which has a limited capacity of approximately 50–55 million passengers per annum (MPPA). With NMIA slated to begin operations, the region is preparing for a multi-airport system that aims to accommodate a combined capacity of around 150 MPPA. This includes the existing CSMIA and the new NMIA, which is designed to handle 90–95 MPPA.

While the planned expansions at NMIA and CSMIA are set to manage medium-term traffic growth, CIDCO is proactively exploring the necessity of additional infrastructure, such as a third runway, to meet aviation demands beyond 2037.

Details of NMIA Development

Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed on approximately 1,160 hectares. It is planned to accommodate 90 MPPA of passenger traffic along with around 3.2 million tonnes of cargo annually. The airport’s design includes two parallel and independent runways along with four interconnected passenger terminals.

The terminals are structured to support varying capacities: Terminal 1 will handle 20 MPPA, Terminal 2 is designed for 30 MPPA, while Terminals 3 and 4 will each accommodate 20 MPPA. This brings the total terminal capacity to 90 MPPA.

The airport’s development is segmented into five phases. Phases I and II, with a combined capacity of 20 MPPA, are expected to be operational for domestic flights starting on December 25, 2023. Future phases aim to increase capacity to 50 MPPA by 2029, 70 MPPA by 2032, and finally reach 90 MPPA by 2037.

As the Navi Mumbai International Airport project progresses, CIDCO’s efforts to plan for a third runway underscore the organization’s dedication to developing robust infrastructure that keeps pace with the region’s growth trajectory.