The Navi Mumbai International Airport is scheduled to open by the end of September. Flight operations are expected to begin around 45 days later. As per the latest sources, the airport will support landings and takeoffs even in low visibility.
This will be made possible with the help of advanced lighting and navigational aids installed at the site. The new system will reduce delays and diversions, especially during the monsoon season.
As per sources, the airport will use a Category II Instrument Landing System. This system helps pilots land safely in poor weather, including fog and heavy rain. It provides accurate lateral and vertical guidance for aircraft on final approach. With this, landings can be carried out at visibility levels as low as 300 meters.
Currently, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport requires a runway visual range of 550 metres for landings. Although the existing airport allows takeoffs at 400 metres visibility, poor conditions often force flights to divert to other cities.
The new airport’s arrangement will allow continued operations without rerouting. This will reduce inconvenience for passengers and airlines. To support the system, the runway threshold at Navi Mumbai has been shifted by about 600 metres. This helps approaching aircraft maintain a standard three-degree glide angle during landings.
The design follows international standards for pilot training and safety. A Precision Approach Lighting System with Category II approval has also been added. These lights help pilots align with the runway, even when visibility is poor.
The airport, officially named D B Patil International Airport, is being developed under a public-private partnership between Maharashtra’s City and Industrial Development Corporation and Navi Mumbai International Airport Private Limited.
The Adani Group will invest further after the first two stages are completed. The third phase will need around INR 30,000 crore. It will include a second terminal and a parallel runway. This expansion is expected to be completed by 2029.
Airlines are already preparing to start services from the new airport. IndiGo and Akasa Air have confirmed their plans. Talks with other domestic and international airlines are at an advanced stage.