Navi Mumbai, Dec 29 (NationPress) After the successful test of the first commercial flight at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), airport officials hailed it as a historic event and confirmed that commercial flights will commence in May 2025.

In an interview with IANS, Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holding, stated that the landing of a commercial flight at NMIA marks a significant milestone.

"We are now one step closer to operationalizing the airport. The inaugural opening of the first terminal is scheduled for April 17, 2025, with commercial services beginning in May. The first terminal will accommodate approximately 2 crore passengers annually."

He elaborated that India's aviation sector is poised to expand fivefold from this point onwards, emphasizing the need for greenfield airports across the nation, which will generate thousands of job opportunities.

Bansal noted that, upon completion of all phases, NMIA's total capacity will reach 9 crore passengers annually.

Additionally, the airport is being developed to have the capacity to manage 30 lakh tonnes of cargo annually, with 8 lakh tonnes of capacity available in the first phase.

CIDCO's Managing Director, Vijay Singhal, mentioned that NMIA boasts excellent connectivity. It links South Mumbai via Atal Setu and is also accessible through various Metro lines, ensuring that the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) benefits from this airport.

He added that the construction of this airport will foster regional development and create numerous job opportunities across various sectors.

CEO of Navi Mumbai Airport, BVJK Sharma, remarked that this is a significant achievement.

"When the project commenced, there were many villagers and a large mountain in the way. The initial phase involved land preparation followed by terminal construction."

The airport is set to open on April 17.

All major airlines are anticipated to commence their operations here.