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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

International flights from July 1

Mumbai: Mumbai’s rapidly expanding second aviation hub may be preparing for its biggest operational leap yet. International flight operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) are tentatively expected to commence from July 1, according to sources familiar with the development, although details regarding participating airlines, destinations, and flight frequencies are still being finalized. If the timeline materializes, the move would mark a significant milestone for the greenfield...

International flights from July 1

Mumbai: Mumbai’s rapidly expanding second aviation hub may be preparing for its biggest operational leap yet. International flight operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) are tentatively expected to commence from July 1, according to sources familiar with the development, although details regarding participating airlines, destinations, and flight frequencies are still being finalized. If the timeline materializes, the move would mark a significant milestone for the greenfield airport, which has already witnessed sharp growth in domestic passenger traffic within months of beginning operations on December 25, 2025. Aviation industry observers believe the introduction of international services could substantially accelerate traffic redistribution across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region while easing pressure on the heavily congested Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Sources indicated that discussions are underway with multiple carriers regarding slot allocation and operational readiness. However, officials maintained that the July 1 date remains tentative and subject to regulatory clearances, airline preparedness, and completion of final operational protocols linked to immigration, customs, and international passenger handling systems. The expected rollout comes at a time when NMIA is already demonstrating strong operational momentum. Airport officials said the facility is currently handling more than 148 air traffic movements (ATMs) daily, translating into approximately 20,500 passengers every day. Around 10,500 of these passengers are outbound travelers, reflecting growing demand from flyers increasingly shifting to the new airport. Officials noted that the airport’s traffic growth has been accompanied by relatively stable operational performance. According to airport authorities, on-time arrivals currently stand at 96.4%, while on-time departures are recorded at 86.7%. Industry experts say such figures are considered robust for an airport still in its initial expansion phase. The proposed international launch is also expected to strengthen NMIA’s role in Mumbai’s broader aviation ecosystem. Industry stakeholders believe airlines may initially deploy short-haul Gulf and Southeast Asian routes from the airport before gradually expanding to longer international sectors depending on passenger response and bilateral slot availability. Officials have previously projected that NMIA could eventually handle nearly 50,000 passengers daily, more than double its current throughput. Analysts say the commencement of international operations could significantly accelerate that target. Experts believe international connectivity could now become the airport’s defining next phase. “Domestic operations established the airport operationally, but international flights will determine how quickly NMIA evolves into a true global gateway,” an aviation consultant said. Passengers, meanwhile, are expected to benefit from reduced congestion, shorter turnaround times, and modern terminal infrastructure. With CSMIA operating under significant slot constraints, NMIA’s emergence is increasingly being viewed as essential to sustaining Mumbai’s long-term aviation growth.

Unrest within Mahayuti

Updated: Jan 21, 2025

Mahayuti

Mumbai: The state administration on Sunday stalled the appointments of guardian ministers in Raigad and Nashik districts. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had cleared the appointments before he left for Davos in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum on Saturday. They are believed to have been stalled on behest of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the state in absence of the Chief Minister.


NCP’s Aditi Tatkare and BJP’s Girish Mahajan were entrusted with responsibilities of guardian minister for the Raigad and Nashik districts respectively, where Shiv Sena’s Bharat Gogawale and Dada Bhuse had staked claims. Gogawale is a first-time minister while, Bhuse had been the guardian minister of the district during previous government under Eknath Shinde.


Shiv Sena, NCP and BJP all the three constituents of Mahayuti have strong roots in both the districts. However, the Shiv Sena and the NCP had been particularly on loggerheads there. The Shiv Sena, which had been demanding the guardian minister’s post in Nashik district has managed to win only two assembly seats in the district where the NCP has Six and the BJP has Five MLAs. On the contrary, in Raigad the NCP has won only one seat while the Shiv Sena and the BJP both have Three MLAs each in the district.


Sunil Tatkare, MP from Raigad Lok Sabha constituency and the stat unit president of the NCP and father of Aditi Tatkare, had been the guardian minister of Raigad between 2004 and 2014. Gogawale had always been his political opponent before Tatkare joined the Mahayuti government under Ajit Pawar’s leadership in 2023. Gogawale claimed that all the Six Shiv Sena-BJP MLAs in the district had opined in his favour to be the guardian minister of the district and after the decision to appoint Aditi Tatkare was announced, his supporters resorted to violent protests. They burnt tyres in bid to stall traffic on highway in the district. Reacting to the developments, Tatkare said that the issue should be pondered over after CM Fadnavis returns from Davos on Saturday and settled amicably.


In Nashik Girish Mahajan had been the guardian minister of the district between 2014 and 2019 when Fadnavis was the Chief Minister.


The post of guardian minister doesn’t have any constitutional mandate and is considered to be a political appointment. Guardian ministers head the district planning and development councils (DPDC) that control the funds for development works being carried out in the particular district. This control wields much of political power to the minister in that district whereby spreading the party in the district becomes much easier. This is the reason why the grass root politicians seem to be very sensitive to such appointments.


While Gogawale and Bhuse are unhappy about not being appointed as guardian ministers, some others like NCP’s Hasan Mushrif and BJP’s Pankaja Munde are unhappy about not being appointed as guardian district in their home districts of Kolhapur and Beed respectively. DCM Shinde is learnt to have gone to his ancestral village Dare in Satara district after the decision and BJP’s firefighters Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Girish Mahajan are expected to meet him there to try finding a way out of the issue.

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