The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began commercial operations from Thursday, December 25, people are seeking ways to access the airport. The NMIA, which provides a significant connectivity boost to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, is accessible via multiple modes of transport. Flyers can use roads, suburban rail, or taxi or bus services to reach the airport.
Road options to reach NMIA
• The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: This road is also known as Atal Setu. Passengers will be required to pay toll charges to use this link. Flyers, who will use this facility occasionally, are likely to use this facility to reach the airport.
Total distance between Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and NMIA: 13 km
• Vashi Bridge: This route will be comparatively cheaper than the Atal Setu due to lower toll charges. Importantly, officials are of the view that toll charges may undergo a revision once airport operations are scaled up.
Total distance between Vashi Bridge and NMIA: 16 km
Rail options to reach NMIA
Passengers can reach the NMIA, as CBD Belapur was the closest station until early December. In the current scenario, Targhar railway station has become the nearest rail access point. It is located almost 10 to 15 minutes away from the airport.
Notably, the frequency of trains remains limited. While only 12 trains operate daily between Targhar and Nerul, 13 trains run daily towards Belapur at intervals of over 30 minutes, according to a midday report.
Cab, auto, and bus options to reach NMIA
Along the airport’s approach roads, signage for taxi, auto-rickshaw, and bus stands has been installed. The report claims local drivers as saying that clarity is missing regarding the exact locations of these stands inside the airport premises.
According to an official, there is an initial plan to deploy around 50 electric buses for passengers and airport staff travelling from Navi Mumbai and the areas nearby.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) is expected to closely monitor ridership trends and will assess the need to deploy more electric buses accordingly to service the airport.
