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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

NMIA set for commercial take-off on December 25

Long-term expansion plans take shape Mumbai: Even as long-term expansion plans gather momentum, Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is preparing to mark a defining milestone with the commencement of commercial operations from December 25, 2025. Sources familiar with the development confirmed that the first flight is scheduled to land at NMIA at around 8.30 am from Bengaluru, operated by IndiGo. The same aircraft will subsequently depart for Delhi, symbolically placing the greenfield...

NMIA set for commercial take-off on December 25

Long-term expansion plans take shape Mumbai: Even as long-term expansion plans gather momentum, Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is preparing to mark a defining milestone with the commencement of commercial operations from December 25, 2025. Sources familiar with the development confirmed that the first flight is scheduled to land at NMIA at around 8.30 am from Bengaluru, operated by IndiGo. The same aircraft will subsequently depart for Delhi, symbolically placing the greenfield airport on India’s aviation map and formally integrating it into the country’s busiest air corridors. This operational launch comes at a time when the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the project’s nodal planning authority, has initiated the process to appoint a consultant for conducting a geotechnical feasibility study for a proposed third runway at NMIA. The parallel movement of near-term operational readiness and long-term capacity planning underlines the strategic importance of the airport, not just as a secondary facility to Mumbai, but as a future aviation hub in its own right. The December 25 launch date carries significance beyond symbolism. NMIA has been envisioned for over two decades as a critical solution to the capacity constraints at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), which operates close to saturation. With limited scope for further expansion at Mumbai’s existing airport, NMIA’s entry into operations is expected to ease congestion, rationalise flight schedules and improve overall passenger experience across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Modest Operations Initial operations are expected to be modest, focusing on select domestic routes, with Bengaluru and Delhi being logical starting points given their high passenger volumes and strong business connectivity with Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Aviation experts note that starting with trunk routes allows operators and airport systems to stabilise operations, fine-tune processes and gradually scale up capacity. IndiGo’s choice as the first operator also reflects the airline’s dominant market share and its strategy of early-mover advantage at new airports. While NMIA’s first phase includes two runways, the initiation of a geotechnical feasibility study for a third runway highlights planners’ expectations of robust long-term demand. CIDCO’s move to appoint a consultant at this early stage suggests that authorities are keen to future-proof the airport, learning from the capacity limitations faced by CSMIA. A third runway, if found technically and environmentally feasible, would significantly enhance NMIA’s ability to handle peak-hour traffic, support parallel operations and attract international long-haul flights over time. The feasibility study will play a critical role in determining soil conditions, land stability, construction challenges and environmental sensitivities, particularly given Navi Mumbai’s complex terrain and proximity to mangroves and water bodies. Experts point out that such studies are essential to avoid cost overruns and execution delays, which have historically plagued large infrastructure projects in the region. From an economic perspective, the operationalisation of NMIA is expected to act as a catalyst for growth across Navi Mumbai and adjoining regions. Improved air connectivity is likely to boost commercial real estate, logistics parks, hospitality and tourism, while also strengthening the case for ancillary infrastructure such as metro lines, road corridors and airport-linked business districts. The timing of the airport’s opening also aligns with broader infrastructure upgrades underway in the MMR, including new highways and rail connectivity, which could amplify NMIA’s impact. However, challenges remain. Smooth coordination between airlines, ground handling agencies, security forces and air traffic control will be critical during the initial phase. Any operational hiccups could affect public perception of the new airport, making the first few weeks crucial. Additionally, the transition of flights from CSMIA to NMIA will need careful calibration to ensure passenger convenience and airline viability. As NMIA prepares to welcome its first aircraft on December 25, the simultaneous push towards planning a third runway signals a clear message: the airport is not just opening for today’s needs, but is being positioned to serve the region’s aviation demands for decades to come.

Convict Saquib Nachan dies, with many secrets

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Mumbai: Twice convicted terrorist Saquib A. Nachan from Thane district passed away following brain hemorrhage at a New Delhi hospital while in judicial custody, official sources said.

 

Nachan, 65, nabbed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) 18 months ago, had collapsed following a massive stroke in the Tihar Jail on June 22.

 

First, he was rushed to the government-run Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where the medicos diagnosed him with brain hemorrhage but he was not responding to treatment.

 

Later, as he was unconscious and remained critical, he was shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital where he breathed his last today. Further details are awaited.

 

As news of his passing spread, a team of cops led by Padgha Police Station head Police Inspector Jitendra Thakur visited the vicinity where the Nachan clan resides.

 

“The situation here is absolutely calm and peaceful,” Thakur told ‘The Perfect Voice’ later, without elaborating much.

 

Last week, security circles were agog with speculation that he may have passed away, but the air cleared after his son Aaquib and other relatives were summoned to New Delhi to meet him.

 

Long stint in jail

Hailing from the Borivali-Padgha twin villages in Bhiwandi taluka of adjoining Thane district, Nachan – who had spent two long stints in jail for different terror cases – was arrested by the NIA in December 2023.

 

This time, he was booked and lodged in prison for allegedly heading a terror module of the banned ISIS operating surreptitiously in Maharashtra.

 

The sleepy village of Padgha with a population of around 6000 people – more than 80 pc Muslims – shot to global headlines after the ISIS Maharashtra had unilaterally proclaimed it as ‘Al Sham’ or a liberated zone, and Nachan proclaiming himself as the organization’s state chief.

 

Among other things, the investigators were probing Nachan’s involvement with the dreaded ISIS terror outfit, his associates in the state and other parts of India, their global connections with like-minded organizations, their suspected penetration in this country, aspects pertaining to funds, weapons, and manpower recruitment for their nefarious plans – which may remain secret now.

 

A former state president and general secretary of the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Nachan had spent nearly 20 years in prison following conviction in two separate terror cases.

 

He was first arrested and convicted by the Supreme Court in 1997 with a 10-year jail-term for hatching terror plots in connivance with Khalistani extremists.

 

Later, he was convicted by a Mumbai court for the 2002-2003 suburban train blasts, again for 10 years till his release in 2017.

 

Subsequently, the NIA had swooped on Padgha village in Dec. 2023 for probing the ISIS case and arrested Nachan plus many others. He remained in judicial custody till his demise today.

 

Who was Saquib A. Nachan

A former SIMI state president and general secretary plus a self-styled ISIS Maharashtra head, Nachan, 65, has been booked in over a dozen terror-related cases from the 1990s.

 

He was arrested and convicted twice – and spent 10 years in jail each time – for different terror cases. Nachan’s other associates were also convicted for different crimes.

 

Nachan was grudgingly acknowledged for his sharp legal acumen and fought his own cases as all bar association lawyers had boycotted him and his associates in the past.

 

The NIA raids in Dec. 2023 found that almost all the ISIS Maharashtra cells were operating from Borivali-Padgha with alleged conspiracies of violent jihadi acts in tune with ISIS’ plans to develop a strong base in India.

 

On June 2, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) carried out massive raids in Borivali-Padgha and rounded up around a dozen suspects, including past-present office-bearers of the SIMI.

 

The premises belonged to Nachan, plus Aaquib S. Nachan, Kaif Nachan, Shajil Nachan, Faraq Zubair Mulla and Abdul Latif Kaskar.

 

The ATS said that following reliable intel of certain anti-national activities and terror attacks being plotted, the agency swung into action, secured search warrants from the Thane Court and launched the search-cum-raids which yielded mobile phones, a sword, a chopper, property papers and literature pertaining to terrorism and radicalisation.

 

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