MUMBAI- India’s first multi-modal airport, Navi Mumbai International Airport (IATA Code: NMI) successfully completed the calibration flights of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) for Runway 26/08 (Southern Runway) on August 13, 2024.
Following this, the Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to conduct trial runs with Multirole fighter jet Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft likely in October 2024.
Navi Mumbai Airport Calibration Flights
Indian Air Force (IAF) prepares for a trial run at the New Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), following the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) Flight Inspection Unit’s testing of the Instrument Landing System (ILS).
This exercise aims to evaluate the airport’s infrastructure and systems before its commercial flight operations commence in March 2025. The trial will assess the runway, navigation aids, and other critical facilities.
A comprehensive evaluation process will begin post-trial, involving flight path calibration and securing necessary approvals. This phase is expected to span several months.
The trial landing marks a significant milestone in NMIA’s development, positioning it to alleviate congestion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). NMIA’s modern infrastructure and increased capacity aim to enhance both domestic and international travel capabilities.
51% SBI Stake in NMIA
According to FE, Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), controlled by the Adani group, has pledged a 51% stake in the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) to the State Bank of India (SBI). This pledge secures a Rs 12,770 crore facility sanctioned by SBI for the project.
MIAL holds 74% of NMIAL’s total paid-up equity share capital. Adani Enterprises officials project NMIAL’s operations to commence in the March quarter of FY25, following a three-month delay from the initial launch date.
The Adani group achieved financial closure for NMIAL in March 2022 when SBI agreed to underwrite the entire debt requirement of Rs 12,770 crore. This 51% pledged stake represents one of the largest in India’s airport business.
Previously, NMIAL had arranged Rs 8,645 crore financing with Yes Bank for Phase I of the project. Yes Bank later unilaterally canceled this facility.
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) operates seven airports in India, including Mumbai International Airport. MIAL reported a Rs 608 crore loss for FY23-24.
No Threats of Flamingo Birds
A recent Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) study reveals that migratory birds, including flamingos, fly below aircraft paths between Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary and Navi Mumbai wetlands. This finding addresses Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited’s (NMIAL) concerns about nearby bird sites within the airport’s Inner Horizontal Surfaces.
The BNHS report, part of NMIA’s environmental compliance documentation, analyzed bird flight patterns potentially intersecting with airport runways. Preliminary data shows aircraft typically maintain higher altitudes than birds in Thane Creek during takeoff and landing.
This study relieves environmentalists, supporting wetland preservation efforts. NatConnect Foundation urges the government to implement conservation measures based on these findings. The compliance report commits CIDCO/NMIA to implement BNHS recommendations for biodiversity conservation around the airport.
BNHS examined eleven sites, including eight wetlands and three forested areas, focusing on location, habitat, and bird diversity. The study highlights the importance of wetlands in bird conservation, noting that local bird movements are influenced by tides and water depth in high-tide roosting sites.
The report also mentions BNHS’s ringing studies investigating shorebird migratory ecology. Mumbai’s significance in the Central Asian Flyway underscores its role in maintaining wader species populations wintering in India.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has requested CIDCO to transfer three wetlands for conservation, though CIDCO’s response is pending.
NMIA’s Phase 1 will be completed by December 2024, and the airport is expected to launch commercial operations by Next year.
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Navi Mumbai Airport to Complete Trial Runs Soon, First Flight in October 2024
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