IAF's transport plane touches runway at Navi Mumbai International Airport

Raigad: In a significant milestone months before the commissioning to the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a C-295 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) touched town on the runway on Friday coinciding with the Navratri festivities.

The C-295, a medium tactical transport aircraft, landed around 1215 hrs after which it was accorded a water salute.

As the transporter landed, there was a stunning fly past by Sukhoi-30 fighter jets of the IAF.

The inaugural landing at the NMIA heralded a new era in the aviation sector of India.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (NMIAL), which is a special-purpose vehicle formed by the Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL) and City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO), which is the nodal agency for the project.

The Greenfield airport project will serve as the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), to be operated alongside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) of Mumbai.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol, CIDCO Chairman Sanjay Shirsat, Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare, Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, Maval MP Shrirang Barne, Thane MP Naresh Mhaske, MLAs Ganesh Naik and MLA Mahesh Baldi, CIDCO Vice Chairman and Managing Director Vijay Singhal, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Kailas Shinde, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Gethe and other dignitaries were present.

“A historic moment for Navi Mumbai as we celebrate the first landing on the new airport with the Indian Air Force’s C-295! Grateful for the support of IAF, including a stunning low pass by the Su-30. This marks the dawn of a new era in Indian aviation, where the sky is no longer the limit. Together, we soar higher,” AAHL Director Jeet Adani posted on X.

After the landing, Shinde inspected the runway himself, and after congratulating the IAF officers, he also sat in the cockpit and greeted the attendees.

“After the successful testing of the runway, it will soon be possible to operate domestic and international flights from this airport,” said Shinde.