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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.

Why Ganguly’s Biopic is a Bad Idea

Updated: Jul 2

Bollywood’s sports biopics are often whitewashed — stripped of controversy and seemingly vetted by the sportsperson’s PR team.

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Cricket and films, the two most potent ‘religions’ in India, have had unions time and again. At times, the results have been thrilling surprises — like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story — and at others, they've turned into box office flops or forgettable duds, like 83, Azhar, and Shabaash Mithu. The Hindi film industry has also ventured beyond cricket, exploring biopics on a range of other sports — Saina (badminton), Mary Kom (boxing), Budhia Singh: Born to Run (marathon), Soorma (hockey), Toolsidas Junior (snooker), Chandu Champion (Paralympic swimming), and Paan Singh Tomar (steeplechase).  Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (sprinting) was the only film that was well made and looked and felt authentic. Recently, Sourav Ganguly confirmed that a biopic is being made on his life, and actor Rajkummar Rao will play the titular role. Similarly, there have been talks of a biopic on Vinod Kambli for years. The million-dollar question is: why this obsession with sportsperson's biopics? The answer is simple — money. The industry believes that since sports and sportspersons, especially cricketers, are so popular in India, they can capitalise on that popularity.

 

Up until last year, there was a lot of brouhaha about Chakda ‘Xpress starring Anushka Sharma, based on the life of India’s female cricket star Jhulan Goswami. The film never saw the light of day (Thank God!) despite heavy backing from Netflix. No one knows what exactly happened, but when I saw the teaser of the now-unreleased film, I was shocked! First of all, the actor didn’t look anything like Jhulan. On top of it, the Bengali accent sounded caricaturish. I was immediately repulsed by the lack of authenticity. 

 

The fact is, Bollywood doesn’t have what it takes to make an authentic biopic. Everything is whitewashed. Take, for example, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, leave aside the brilliant performance by the late Sushant Singh Rajput, and look at the story… Dhoni is depicted as too good to be true. No controversial aspect of his life is shown, and everything seems like it was screened 10 times through the cricket legend’s PR before adding it to the script. 

Then there was a ‘documentary’ on Sachin Tendulkar titled Sachin: A Billion Dreams. Despite Tendulkar’s legendary status― the ‘master blaster’ who managed to reach dizzying heights, broke countless records, and has billions of fans across the globe ―the film bombed. The reason? It lacked an emotional connection with the audience. 


The problem with Bollywood is that if one film does well, they all jump on the bandwagon to repeat the same magic to earn moolah. If a South Indian film has done well, they want to remake it. Believe me when I say this, to date, not a single Hindi remake of a South Indian film has been better than its original (despite a much bigger budget and production values). The X-factor is always missing. 

 

Films on sports personalities have it all: an underdog, a struggle phase, a rise to fame, success, sex, drugs, family drama, romance, downfall, and subsequent redemption. However, Bollywood rarely gets it right, and in the quest to please everyone (especially the person being depicted), the film loses its soul.

 

Coming back to the Ganguly biopic, no doubt Rao is a brilliant actor, but will the makers dare to show the good as well as the flawed side of the sportsman being depicted, or will they do another Dhoni? Also, think about it, who is really interested in watching Sourav Ganguly’s biopic? Rao’s films have not exactly been box-office hits recently, and Ganguly (Dada) is a has-been cricketer who was more in the news back in the day for his alleged extramarital affairs with Nagma and Vaishali Dalmiya and certain other scandals (tiff with Virat Kohli, Chappell–Ganguly controversy, etc.). Only time will tell if the film ever gets made and released. Till then, if you want to watch solid sports-based films, watch the following (no, they are not biographies):  Chak De! India, Iqbal, Kai Po Che!, Saala Khadoos, Rashmi Rocket, Ghoomer, and of course Lagaan.

 

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