Navi Mumbai: A massive fleet of 1,515 drones illuminated the night sky on Wednesday to celebrate the operational debut of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), according to an official statement.

A High-Tech Prelude to Operations

The coordinated aerial display, held on the eve of the airport’s commencement of commercial flights, featured intricate 3D formations. The drones depicted blooming lotuses, the airport's logo, and an aircraft soaring over the Mumbai skyline. Centred on themes of sustainability and national progress, the show also illustrated "Green Airport" concepts and the "Rise of India."

The audience for the event included NMIA staff, local youth athletes, and specially-abled guests, who watched the innovative performance at the site of the new aviation hub.

Infrastructure and Strategic Partnership

Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), the entity responsible for the project’s development and maintenance, is a joint venture between the private sector and the state government. Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, maintains a 74% majority stake, while the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), a Government of Maharashtra body, holds the remaining 26%.

Capacity and Eco-Friendly Design

Spread across 1,160 hectares, NMIA (IATA: NMI; ICAO: VANM) is designed to alleviate the heavy air traffic demands of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Initial Phase: The airport will launch with the capacity to handle 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Full Completion: Once fully operational, the facility is engineered to accommodate 90 MPPA with two parallel runways and advanced cargo hubs.

The terminal’s futuristic architecture is inspired by the lotus, India’s national flower. As a greenfield project, NMIA prioritises sustainability, utilising eco-friendly building practices and renewable energy sources to set new benchmarks for the global aviation industry.

With inputs from PTI