Movie stars, billionaire businessmen and top politicians could soon fly in and out of a separate terminal dedicated exclusively to them, with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) planning to build one in the next phase of expansion, which will begin after the commercial inauguration of the new airport, documents show.
The dedicated terminal is set to be developed by 2030, under the third phase of development at NMIA. HT has reviewed documents which confirm that the construction of the VVIP terminal will begin in FY 26 and be concluded by 2030.
“The exclusive terminal will cater to not only central and state government officials, governors, chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, defence officials and other officials from the government but also act like a general aviation terminal catering to film personalities and other stars,” an official said, requesting anonymity. The complete criteria for who will be deemed eligible will be determined at a later stage, the official added.
“The exclusive building that is currently being termed as the VVIP terminal will also be used by the family of the promoters of the airport,” the official said, adding that general aviation operations will also happen exclusively from this terminal.
Despite repeated attempts, airport operator Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL) did not respond to HT’s queries on the development.
The existing airport in Mumbai does not have a dedicated VVIP terminal. The NMIA, which is managed by NMIAL (a joint venture between Adani Airport Holdings Ltd [AAHL] and City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra [CIDCO]), is likely to start commercial operations after May 15.
The aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had on February 26 conducted an assessment that revealed that the airport was 90% ready, officials had said. The operator has now applied for the mandatory airport permit, officials confirmed.
NMIA is a greenfield airport aimed to help ease the burden on Mumbai’s congested Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport (CSMIA), which is a single runway airport. The phase 1 terminal building has a capacity of 20 million passengers per annum (PPA). Navi Mumbai airport is expected to handle 10-12 million PPA, with around 9 million domestic and 3 million international passengers. The airport’s Terminal 2 will have a capacity of 30 million PPA and is expected to become operational by the end of 2028.
“A code E taxiway is planned to connect runway 08L/26R at NMIA to the VVIP, Defence, and GA aprons north of the runway,” a second official close to the development said.
Code E taxiways accommodate large aircraft with wingspans between 52 and 65 metres and tail heights up to 24 metres. This means that the taxiway will be accessible to large aircraft such as Boeing 747 or Airbus A380.
“The VVIP terminal will offer a secure and exclusive space for VVIPs and approved personnel from the Government of India and related agencies,” the above official added.
“Having a VVIP terminal is required for the airport’s operations,” he said, adding that the terminal will be built in the third phase and will be in the northern part of the airport near the defence facility. Phase 3 will also see the permanent ATC Tower of NMIA being built adjacent to Terminal 2, to be constructed with it in Phase 3.
The ATC is essential for airport operations, required to control air traffic and provide guidance to aircraft for take-off, landing and for ground movements between the runway, apron, and the stands or parking positions.
“The midfield location between the southern and northern runway is ideal for the ATC tower as per a sighting study. Once operational, the interim ATC tower will serve as an alternative control tower for critical airport operations during unforeseen emergencies,” the official said.