Mumbai: Prime minister Narendra Modi will land at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8 with the majestic ‘India One’ aircraft to inaugurate the airport. The VVIP aircraft also made a quick visit to NMIA on Wednesday to perform an operational drill, becoming the first widebody aircraft landing on the upcoming airport.
Aerodrome License Secured
Preparations are in full swing at NMIA as it nears the inauguration date, after battling multiple delays and postponement. The only pending formality before the airport can be inaugurated, was completed on Tuesday as the airport operator, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (NMIAL), obtained the aerodrome license by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
PM’s Two-Day Visit
Along with India's first ‘second city-airport’, the PM is also expected to inaugurate multiple development projects and a fintech event during his two-day visit to Mumbai. According to sources, he is likely to arrive straight at NMIA on the inauguration day with the ‘India One’ aircraft. The multi-billion aircraft, with the call sign ‘Air India One’, is one of the two custom-made VVIP Boeing-777 aircraft to transport the Indian PM, president and the vice president.
Operational Drill Completed
The preparations for the PM's arrival with ‘India One’ have been initiated and a test drill was also conducted on Wednesday when the air operations division executed a successful landing of the aircraft at NMIA. This became the first instance of a widebody aircraft arriving at NMIA, after IndiGo's test flight in December with a narrowbody Airbus A320. The VVIP aircraft, operated by Air Force officials, landed at around 10.30am and departed for Delhi again at around 2pm, amid which the officials ensured all landing and take-off requirements were met.
NMIA Capable of Handling Widebody Aircraft
“NMIA is equipped to handle Code E aircraft with wingspan from 52 mtr to 65 mtr, which includes Boeing-777. The PM's aircraft can be easily landed here and therefore he does not need to fly in by chopper,” said a source, on condition of anonymity.
Adani Group Review
Gautam Adani, the chairperson of Adani Group which is the major stakeholder in NMIAL, had also visited the airport on Tuesday with his private jet for a comprehensive review and personal walkthrough of the final preparations. He undertook a detailed inspection of the airport by assessing technical progress and operational readiness.
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Symbol of Bharat’s Spirit
“Every runway, every terminal, every gate here carries the imprint of thousands of hands and hearts. This is more than an airport, it is a monument to the spirit of Bharat, built by its people, for its people,” he said.
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