IAF’s historic landing at Navi Mumbai airport

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) witnessed a significant milestone on Friday as the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the inaugural landing at the under-development airport, which is scheduled to be operational by March 2025. The much-anticipated event saw a C-295 aircraft land on runway 26 (the southbound runway), marking a new chapter for the airport's operational capabilities.

A C-295 aircrafttaking off from Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) on Friday. Pic/Prasun Choudhari

IN PHOTOS: Air Force aircraft makes first touchdown at Navi Mumbai airport

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The landing, termed "historic" by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was attended by prominent dignitaries, including Maharashtra's Chief Minister, both Deputy Chief Ministers and the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol. A host of MPs and MLAs were also present to witness the inaugural landing.

Following the touchdown of the C-295, the crowd was treated to a spectacular single circuit and flyby of the IAF Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft, whose thunderous roar echoed over the airport. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, in his media address, stated, "The airport, upon completion, will cater to approximately 9 crore passengers a year. This airport will also boost the development of the MMR and Maharashtra as a whole." Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "We are now ready for fight and flight(s). This will be one of the biggest airports in the country."

Pic/Prasun Choudhari

NMIAL is a significant boon for the Mumbai and metropolitan region. Both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports will also be connected by a Metro line, which will make the commute between both airports shorter. The Navi Mumbai airport is scheduled to be completed by March 2025, but if the work is finished earlier, the airport will open for commercial use before March as well."

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis along with Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare were also present. Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol stated that the Navi Mumbai Airport will be named after Loknete DB Patil. On October 7, MoS Murlidhar Mohol informed via X, "Today, I chaired a meeting alongside Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Rammohan Naidu ji regarding the Government of Maharashtra's resolution to name it Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport."

Why IAF planes were used

An AAI official said, "These aircraft (C-295) are generally adapted to land on uneven terrain, which is why they are generally used for test landings. As this was the first landing, it was riskier to land an airliner as the faults (if any) in the runway are not known till the time an aircraft runs on it. As such aircraft are adapted to land on uneven terrain, there is low to zero chance of a catastrophic fault but the fault with the runway will be detected." Earlier in the day, Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted: "While landing today, they've used the C-295, which as per @Airbus itself can land on unpaved and short runways... This costs the Indian Air Force time and taxpayers' money..."

Pic/Prasun Choudhari

‘Name it after Ratan Tata'

A petition has been launched on the Change.org platform asking for the new Navi Mumbai airport to be named after the late Ratan Tata. Started on October 10, it is gathering signatures at a fast pace. Excerpts from the petition state: "Naming the new airport in Mumbai after Sir Ratan Tata would be a fitting tribute to a visionary leader whose contributions have shaped modern India and Mumbai in particular." It cites his contributions to "philanthropy, social welfare, and national development," making him an iconic figure not just in business, but in the broader fabric of Indian society.

In an exclusive, Mid-Day observed the first-ever takeoff from NMIAL as the C-295 aircraft soared into the skies just hours after the event concluded.

To view the entire petition, go to: https://chng.it/BYNSj65cJd