GVK Group unveils design of NMIA airport in Mumbai

The GVK group has unveiled the designs of the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) in Mumbai where the airport will feature three interconnected multilevel terminals with a lotus-inspired design. In 2018, the group commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects to design the main terminal building and air traffic control tower. A year later, the airport's master plan received the green light from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). According to the master plan, NMIA will be constructed in four stages whereby the main terminal (T1) will be constructed during the first phase and will feature two floors with little level changes and minimum walking distances. After the completion of the first phase, it will have the capacity to manage a minimum of ten million passengers annually. Eventually, NMIA's passenger handling capacity will be increased to 90 million per annum. The airport will cover an area of more than 1,160ha, of which 95% were acquired from local villagers. Currently, hill cutting and landfilling works are in full swing at the site. The commercial operations at NMIA are scheduled to begin at the end of this year, under the concession agreement between CIDCO and GVK. However, the schedule may change due to the drastic drop in passenger traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Adani group may also revisit the construction plans. In September 2019, India-based diversified conglomerate L&T Construction secured a contract to build NMIA when the contract was awarded by Navi Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (NMIAPL), a subsidiary of the GVK group.