A water leakage incident has been reported at the INR 19,000-crore Navi Mumbai International Airport, barely six months after the facility became operational, raising concerns about construction quality at one of Maharashtra's most ambitious infrastructure projects.
A video showing water dripping in the baggage handling area, where luggage is transported from aircraft to the terminal, surfaced on social media and quickly drew attention. The footage prompted questions about the quality of construction and maintenance at the newly inaugurated airport.
However, the airport operator clarified that the leakage was caused by a technical fault in the air-conditioning system and not due to any structural defect. The issue was rectified immediately, and airport operations remained unaffected, the company said.
Positioned as the second major airport serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to play a key role in easing congestion at Mumbai's existing airport and transforming Navi Mumbai and Panvel into a major economic hub. The project has been developed under a public-private partnership model, with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd holding a 74% stake and CIDCO owning the remaining 26%.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport's first terminal in December last year after the completion of the project's initial phase.
Currently, the airport handles domestic flight operations and serves around 20,000 passengers daily. Airport authorities estimate that passenger traffic could increase to 50,000 passengers per day by the end of the year, while daily aircraft movements are expected to rise from the current 150 to nearly 380.
The latest incident comes just days after app-based taxi drivers' protests disrupted travel plans for passengers using the airport, adding to operational concerns surrounding the new facility.
According to the airport operator, the leakage occurred on Wednesday following a malfunction in the air-conditioning system above the baggage belt area. The company maintained that the fault was addressed promptly and that there was no impact on flight operations, baggage handling services or passenger convenience.
Despite the clarification, the incident has reignited public debate over quality control and maintenance standards at newly commissioned infrastructure projects, particularly those developed at significant public expense.
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