A dedicated access solution to the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has been framed as a pivotal component of the region’s mobility plan, with the Ulwe Coastal Road being targeted for completion by August 2026. The project has been positioned under the stewardship of the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO), and execution has been entrusted to the J. Kumar–J. M. Mhatre joint venture. The corridor has been characterized as “essential” for the airport’s commercial performance, and its role in shaping passenger preference has been repeatedly highlighted by aviation stakeholders.
A fully stilted alignment has been adopted for the 5.8-km main link so that a direct connection can be ensured between the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) interchange at Shivajinagar, Ulwe, and Aamra Marg (NH 348A). In parallel, a 1.2-km elevated Airport Link Road (ROB) has been planned so that the Nerul–Uran suburban railway line and Aamra Marg can be overflown and a touchdown can be made within the airport precinct. Through this configuration, a signal-free, uninterrupted movement from MTHL to the terminal has been projected, and an indicative travel time of about 10 minutes has been communicated by officials.
A direct interface with the Western Main Access Road has been incorporated so that the terminal’s departures, arrivals, and parking areas can be reached without exposure to local chokepoints. The design has been presented as an answer to operational reliability, and the link has been viewed by the airport concessionaire and airlines as a determinant of market competitiveness. By contrast, it has been observed that, in the absence of the coastal connector, a longer path via the Chirle interchange on NH-4B and Gavaan Phata on Aamra Marg (NH 348A) would be required, by which an additional 15 minutes could be incurred and JNPT-bound truck traffic could be encountered.
Capacity ambitions for NMIA have been stated at 90 million passengers annually alongside 2.5 million tonnes of cargo. With commercial services having been indicated as expected by December 2024, the strategic rationale for the Ulwe Coastal Road has been further reinforced, since a dependable surface-access spine has been considered integral to on-time performance and passenger satisfaction. By providing a grade-separated, purpose-built approach, congestion exposure has been intended to be minimized, and wayfinding has been planned to be simplified for first-time users as well as airport staff and commercial operators.
Environmental and urban-form considerations have been factored into the choice of an elevated, stilt-based structure so that coastal zones can be traversed with reduced footprint and so that continuity of local movement can be preserved beneath. In combination with MTHL, the coastal link has been expected to recast regional accessibility by knitting together Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in a manner consistent with a multi-modal gateway strategy. Once commissioned, the route has been expected to function as a signature piece of airport access infrastructure, by which world-class connectivity standards can be demonstrated and by which the metro region’s aviation ecosystem can be strengthened.
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