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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.

Food Waste vs. Hunger: Our National Contradiction

Updated: Mar 17


Food Waste vs. Hunger

In last week’s article, I mentioned the ‘Food Waste Index Report 2024’ released by the UNEP, which aims to halve food waste by 2030 to achieve Sustainable Development Goal #12. (SDG 12) Before moving ahead, I thought I should give a brief introduction to SDGs.


The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty and hunger, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. There are a total of 17 sustainable development goals that are integrated and interconnected. It is recognised that the action in one area will affect outcomes in others and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.


Out of these 17 goals, SDG #2 speaks about ‘Zero Hunger’, which means not a single person should remain hungry or malnourished by 2030. A large share of the world population is still consuming far too little to meet even their basic needs. Halving the per capita of global food waste at the retailer and consumer levels is also important for creating more efficient production and supply chains. This can help with food security and shift us towards a more resource-efficient economy. This is the objective of SDG #12.


Against this backdrop, let us see where India stands. We are well aware of the fact that India has a rich heritage and a lot of diversity concerning food habits and cuisine. However, more than 23 crore people are far away from getting proper food. The Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India has reported that nearly Rs. 50,000 crores worth of food gets wasted each year. This amount of food that is getting wasted every single day in a country where millions of people still go to bed hungry each night is an appalling reality that demands our immediate attention and action.


In addition to reports like the Food Waste Index, other global assessments also track hunger and nutrition levels. One such tool is the Global Hunger Index (GHI), prepared annually by Welthungerhilfe, a 60-year-old non-profit organisation based in Germany, in collaboration with Concern Worldwide and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict. The GHI is a peer-reviewed report based on data from credible sources such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and authorised government surveys.


The GHI is used to measure and track hunger at global, regional, and national levels, and it acts as a critical pointer to the current state of food insecurity across nations. Countries are ranked based on four indicators: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, and child mortality. The higher the score and rank, the more serious the hunger situation.


GHI is a tool to measure and track hunger at global, regional, and national levels, and is a pointer to the sorry state of affairs. It ranks and allocates scores to countries based on four indicators: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, and child mortality. The higher the rank, the worse off the country is. In the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024, India ranks 105th out of 127 countries, highlighting a "serious" hunger crisis driven by ongoing challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition. This is a little better than GHI 2023, where India’s rank was 111th out of 127 countries. More about this and food security and food waste in the next article. Till then, have a nice weekend!


(The author is an environmentalist.)

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