New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): The inauguration of Navi Mumbai International Airport has been hailed as a landmark achievement in India's aviation sector, with global aviation leaders highlighting its economic and social impact.

Sheldon Hee, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), emphasised the significance of the development for India's rapidly expanding aviation industry.

'The inauguration of Navi Mumbai Airport is an important milestone in India's amazing aviation journey. Aviation contributes US$53.6 billion to India's economy and supports 7.7 million jobs. Navi Mumbai Airport will ease the capacity constraints in the Mumbai region, strengthen connectivity, and bring even greater economic and social benefits to the Indian economy. We look forward to collaborating with the team at Navi Mumbai airport to deliver the required capacity efficiently, foster innovation, and create a seamless experience for passengers and stakeholders,' Sheldon Hee said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra on October 8 and 9 to inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport and launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai.

According to an official release from the Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Modi will reach Navi Mumbai and at around 3 pm and will undertake a walkthrough of the newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport. Thereafter, at around 3.30 pm, he will inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport and also launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

In line with his vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub, Prime Minister will inaugurate the Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) built at a cost of around Rs 19,650 crores.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India's largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). As the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, NMIA will work in tandem with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to ease congestion and elevate Mumbai into the league of global multi-airport systems. The airport, designed to be among the most efficient in the world with 1160 Ha area, will eventually handle 90 million passengers annually (MPPA) and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Among its unique offerings is an Automated People Mover (APM), a transit system planned to connect all four passenger terminals for smooth inter-terminal transfers, as well as a landside APM linking the city-side infrastructure.

In line with sustainable practices, the airport will feature dedicated storage for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), solar power generation of approximately 47 MW, and EV bus services for public connectivity across the city. NMIA will also be the first airport in the country to be connected by Water Taxi. (ANI)