Navi Mumbai will be defined by these major projects in 2025

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is aimed to ease off the traffic pressure on the Mumbai airport

If all goes well, CIDCO will play Santa to the common man of the satellite township - Navi Mumbai - in 2025, with hosts of infrastructure and housing projects, which are either ready or expected completion in the coming quarters. mid-day reached out to Vijay Singhal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, CIDCO, who is at the helm of overseeing the various infrastructure projects, which will connect the twin city to the rest of the world.

"The year 2025 will be a dream come true with actual operations and completion of certain turnkey projects. Large-scale investment will come into Navi Mumbai through Navi Mumbai International Airport. The project will also boost tourism. The Corporate Park project will create commercial opportunities in the city on a large scale and make its economy robust. Several connectivity projects will not only facilitate seamless commute but also bolster the development of the city. Some socio-cultural projects are also in the pipeline," said Vijay Singhal.

Navi Mumbai Int'l Airport (NMIA)

NMIA, one of the world's largest Greenfield International Airports proposed for development in the country, is planned to handle a minimum of 90 million passengers and 2.5 million metric tons of cargo annually. The airport is aimed to ease off the traffic pressure on the Mumbai airport. Along with CSIA, the NMIA will form part of the first multi-airport city system in India with excellent physical and social infrastructure.

Current status of NMIA

All the predevelopment works including the work of diversion of the Ulwe River, the most challenging one, have been completed successfully. The structural steel work of 10,000 metric tonnes at the passenger terminal building and the 3,700 runway work is completed and ready. The signal test and instrument landing system test were conducted successfully by the Airport Authority of India at NMIA on July 17, 2024, and 13 August, 2024, respectively. Phase-I of the project is expected to be operational from April 2025. And the international flights are presumed to start by the end of 2025.

Aerocity

CIDCO plans to develop Aerocity on the lines of Delhi Aerocity by developing hotels and ancillary facilities

As the first flight is all set to take off from NMIA, CIDCO has planned to develop world-class infrastructure on land falling in the periphery of the airport. CIDCO has planned to develop Aerocity on the lines of Delhi Aerocity by developing hotels and ancillary facilities on this land. Taking advantage of the proximity of NMIA and MTHL, CIDCO has come up with a mixed development plan with multi-model connectivity. The project will include amenities like lounges and supporting infrastructure at the airport, enhancing the overall experience for passengers.

Navi Mumbai: Coastal road, Airport, Mass housing

Kharghar and Ulwe Coastal Road
Multimodal connectivity to the new Navi Mumbai airport is becoming a reality, linking Atal Setu with the Kharghar and Ulwe Coastal Road. Future plans aim to connect these roads to all metro lines in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The tender for the Kharghar and Ulwe Coastal Road was floated in October 2024, with work starting early 2025. To address congestion on the 6 km Sion-Panvel Expressway stretch between Kharghar and Belapur, CIDCO plans a 9.5 km Kharghar Coastal Road along Panvel Creek, boosting water and cargo transport from JNPT while offering an alternative route.

Ulwe
The 7 km long Ulwe Coastal Road with 6 (3+3) lanes will be an elevated road commencing from Amra Marg and will be connected to the 5.8 km interchange at MTHL. The road will also include a 0.903-km elevated stretch connecting Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Centre of Excellence, a FIFA-compliant stadium with four practice pitches

Centre of excellence
The Football Maharashtra Centre of Excellence, a FIFA-compliant stadium with four practice pitches, is nearing completion on a 10.5-hectare site near the proposed International Corporate Park (BKC 2). Inaugurated on October 12, 2024, by former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, it will host tournaments starting in 2025. A standout feature is its 4,000-seat gallery with state-of-the-art LED floodlights, ideal for night matches, making it a major attraction for international sports events.

Panvel to Karjat railway corridor
The much-talked-about Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), phase 3 connecting Panvel to Karjat, suburban rail corridor, is all set to meet the deadline of the end of December 2025, as 67 per cent of work has been completed on the stretch as of December 2024. Once the rail corridor is made operational, it will enhance the suburban railway network and thereby cut down the travel time of commuters significantly. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) will be spending approximately over Rs 2,782 crores for the project.

Mass housing scheme
The need for affordable housing is critical for a large portion of the population. Under this scheme, 67,000 tenements will be constructed across Navi Mumbai for EWS and LIG groups near transit hubs. CIDCO's 2022 housing project gained international attention for building 96 apartments in 96 days using precast technology, achieving a remarkable national record.

The Kharghar-Turbhe tunnel road will provide direct connectivity between Turbhe in north Navi Mumbai and Kharghar in south Navi Mumbai

Kharghar-Turbhe tunnel
The six-lane road with an approximate length of 5.490 km will branch out from the Sion-Panvel Expressway in front of Juinagar Railway Station and will carry on till the Central Park in Kharghar. The tunnel route will be constructed by the cut and cover method and will have a length of 1.763 km out of the total length of 5.490 km.

MSRDC arm connectivity
To reduce congestion on the Sion-Panvel highway, a new three-lane bridge near the Vashi toll naka (Mumbai to Navi Mumbai) opened in late 2024. The second bridge, linking Navi Mumbai to Mumbai, will be operational by early 2025. Toll exemptions for cars have already eased traffic. Estimated cost of the project will be Rs 775 crore.

The Corporate Park is being built to make Navi Mumbai a viable finacial hub

International Corporate Park
The Corporate Park of international standard is being planned to attract financial institutions, information & communication and IT-enabled services, hospitality, medical services, retail professions, and residential complexes. The park will included all modern amenities, including 24-hour uninterruptible powe and water supply, solar power, and security.