India to have a billion air travellers by 2040 & Navi Mumbai Airport phase-1 by next Dec: Adani Airports CEO Bansal

“Once phase one is completed by December 2024, the remaining phases will be implemented over the next 15 years depending on increasing passenger volumes and external connections. The commissioning of NMIA Terminal 1 will serve 2 million passengers annually along with a cargo handling capacity of 0.8 million tons. The combined impact with the existing airport under a single ownership structure will see Mumbai’s withdrawal as an important national hub and a return to growth…. support capacity building and cross-leverage development of other airports in Adani’s portfolio,” said Bansal. Adani is working to secure transportation between the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport and CSMIA so that they can function as an airport with a five-terminal ecosystem.
While air travel is mostly back to pre-Covid levels, new airports entering service and more than 30 cities receiving dual hubs will hit the one billion mark by 2040 — up from 20 cores currently ( domestic and international). “Aside from business travel, the tourism boom is bringing passengers back to airports. (Over the past year), our seven airports combined have seen an increase in international and domestic arrivals by 133% and 92% respectively,” said Bansal. He said the AAHL is using technology to speed up airport processes for passengers. “We monitor the level of service and quality of experience offered at our airports. Our teams drive audits to ensure service levels are maintained and below-average service is remedied.”

He gave the example of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s (CSMIA) Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s newly launched terminal transfer facility as a case in point. “Travelers with domestic flight connections at CSMIA can now easily transfer with reduced transit times. With an increasing number of passengers traveling domestically as well as internationally, these new domestic to domestic (DTD) transfers will make the airport experience much smoother,” said Bansal. more. “This reserved space is subject to pre-departure security screening and will significantly cut minimum connection time (MCT) for transit passengers and crew members. Airlines will now be able to serve passengers with shorter intervals between their connecting flights. This improvement will make the journey seamless for our passengers who should have been in and out of the terminal earlier and waiting for their next flight will now be able to access the departure lounge. domestic travel without going through the process of re-entering the terminal building,” he said.

AAHL says its goal is to be a green airport operator. The focus on carbon neutrality will help it transition from traditional fossil fuel energy consumption to green energy to reduce emissions. CSMIA achieved the highest level 4+ ‘Transitional’ of Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Certification (ACA) program due to carbon emissions management which Bansal says includes taking steps like : switch completely to green sources for its energy consumption needs, creating CSMIA one of India’s 100% sustainable airports; the innovative on-site power generation plant increased to a capacity of 4.65 MW; installation of a unique 10KWp vertical axis wind turbine and solar PV system on March 22, with 4 additional units to be installed in fiscal year 23 and hot potential refrigerant conversion higher GWP in AC and lower GWP refrigerant-to-refrigerant and use of 45 vehicle electricity. The upcoming NMIA will also feature several sustainability projects. These include on-board solar power generation; rooftop solar panels for all buildings and trams in airport and landing areas.