Mumbai, Dec 25 (PTI) Nearly three decades after the ambitious project was first conceived to decongest the existing airport in the financial capital, the greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport became a reality on Thursday as an IndiGo Airbus A320 from Bengaluru landed on the tarmac at 8 am amid a traditional water cannon salute.

The commencement of commercial flight operations marked a landmark expansion in Mumbai's aviation capacity and a decisive step in India's infrastructure journey.

With the facility now operational, Mumbai joins the ranks of global aviation hubs like London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and Shanghai, each supported by multiple airports to meet rising demand, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIA) said.

For the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the inauguration signals the start of a true multi-airport system designed for scale, resilience and the future.

The inaugural arrival flight 6E 460 was followed by the airport's first departure, IndiGo flight 6E 882 to Hyderabad at 840 am, completing the airport's inaugural arrival and departure cycle.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani personally welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and interacted with airport staff, frontline workers and first-time flyers.

Adani said welcoming NMIA's first passengers alongside the Param Vir Chakra awardees offered a glimpse of India now taking shape.

Standing with workers, farmers, social workers and colleagues, he said it captures "the spirit of a nation moving forward with confidence and compassion".

Calling it "a proud day for Mumbai and for India", he said, "NMIA stands as a promise of what the country can achieve when ambition is guided by purpose and delivered with speed and execution".

"Everything is good about the airport, especially thanks to (Gautam) Adani ji, who is personally here to greet us...He came here and invited us. We are very excited," said Ram Prasad, who was on the maiden flight with his 7-year-old daughter, Sai Prateeksha.

Prasad, a resident of Bengaluru, said he was on a day trip to the city and had booked the first flight to Navi Mumbai International Airport specially.

"I was the first passenger to get down from the plane on arrival," said a beaming Prateeksha, holding an aircraft model in her hand, which she had received as a gift.

Adani later joined a ceremonial walk through the departure terminal with airport employees, community representatives and Adani Foundation beneficiaries.

The launch concluded with a flag-hoisting ceremony led by Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Bana Singh and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, followed by the national anthem.

Leading sportspersons Suryakumar Yadav, Mithali Raj and Sunil Chhetri, along with social influencers Malini Agarwal and Viraj Ghelani, were also present.

On the first day, apart from IndiGo, Tata Group's low-cost arm Air India Express, Akasa Air and regional carrier Star Air operated 48 flights, connecting nine domestic destinations and serving over 4,000 passengers, with peak traffic recorded between 0500 and 0700 hours, reflecting a strong early demand and operational readiness from the outset, NMIA said.

During the initial phase, the facility will operate for 12 hours -- between 8 am and 8 pm, with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements (arrivals and departures) per hour, it added.

From February next year, operations are planned to progressively scale up to round-the-clock services.

Farmers, underprivileged families and colleagues with disabilities experienced their first-ever flight through a special chartered aerial tour of Mumbai. India Post also released a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover, featuring the NMIA terminal, flown on an IndiGo service to Goa, the airport operator said.

Jeet Adani, Director at Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), said NMIA establishes a resilient multi-airport system for the MMR, boosting capacity, enhancing passenger experience and future proofing the region's aviation growth.

IndiGo said it will initially (between December 25 and December 30) connect the airport with 13 domestic destinations - Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Nagpur, Goa (Mopa), Jaipur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Vadodara, Lucknow and Cochin.

The entire project is being developed in multiple phases under a special purpose vehicle, Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), in which the Adani Group has a 74 per cent stake, and the remaining 26 per cent is owned by CIDCO.

Air India Express said it commenced operations from NMIA with its inaugural services to Bengaluru and Delhi.

"Navi Mumbai is a key pillar of our dual-airport strategy, complementing our services from CSMIA, where we operate direct flights to 11 domestic and three international destinations," said Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express.

"Being here from day one reflects our confidence in the potential NMIA has - and of the role this airport will play in getting Mumbai back on a rapid growth trajectory. The airline will scale up its operations going forward, offering guests reliable, value-driven connectivity delivered with the warmth of Indian hospitality, supported by a modern fleet," he added.

The opening adds a critical new gateway for a region that has faced sustained congestion for over a decade, NMIA said, adding that planned as part of a distributed aviation framework, it supports Mumbai's transition to a multi-airport system aimed at improving capacity, operational resilience and long-term scalability. PTI IAS BAL BAL