New roads and bridges to connect Belapur, Ulwe, Panvel and Khandeshwar with the airport.

The Inauguration

Several key roads and bridges built to improve connectivity to Navi Mumbai International Airport are ready for use but are still awaiting their official inauguration. The new network is expected to provide smoother access to the airport from Belapur, Ulwe, Panvel, Khandeshwar and Karanjade. It will also offer alternative routes for motorists and help reduce pressure on the Sion-Panvel Highway.

One of the important routes will connect Kalamboli Junction through National Highway 548 to the airport’s cargo entrance. The route is also expected to make it easier for container traffic travelling between JNPA and the airport’s cargo facilities.

CIDCO has developed the SBR-9 route to connect the northern side of the airport with the wider road network. A 60-metre-wide bridge has also been constructed near the cargo entrance, while other bridges provide connections towards Khandeshwar railway station and the Karnala Sports Academy area. The road and bridge projects have involved an estimated investment of around Rs 813 crore. Once opened, they are expected to reduce travel time by around 30 minutes on some routes.

Although construction work has been completed, safety inspections and other formalities are still underway. CIDCO officials said the routes will be opened to the public after the necessary procedures and inauguration are completed. For residents and future airport users, the opening of these links is expected to make reaching the new airport considerably more convenient.

Airline cites operational challenges, passenger flights to continue from Mumbai Airport for now.

The Challenge

Air France-KLM has said it does not plan to divide its passenger flights between Mumbai Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, saying that operating from two airports would make its operations more complicated.

The airline’s decision comes as Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has asked airlines to shift a portion of their international passenger and cargo operations to Navi Mumbai during the redevelopment of Terminal 1 at Mumbai Airport.

Air France-KLM’s India and Middle East general manager, Stefan Gumuseli, said splitting staff, ground-handling teams and other operations between two airports would create additional challenges. The airline also considers Mumbai Airport more convenient because of its existing connectivity and location.

For now, Air France-KLM’s passenger services will continue from Mumbai Airport, while its cargo operations are expected to move to Navi Mumbai. However, the airline has not completely ruled out Navi Mumbai International Airport. It has indicated that if redevelopment work significantly affects Mumbai Airport’s capacity, it could consider moving its entire passenger operation to Navi Mumbai instead of splitting flights between the two airports.

The airline is also planning to increase its Mumbai services. From the winter schedule beginning in November, Air France-KLM is expected to operate 20 weekly flights between Mumbai and Paris/Amsterdam, compared with 14 at present. The development adds another dimension to the ongoing transition as Navi Mumbai International Airport prepares to take on a larger role in the region’s aviation network.

MP Naresh Mhaske urges Central Railway to protect workers employed at stations being transferred from CIDCO.

The Transfer

The transfer of 17 railway stations in Navi Mumbai and Raigad from CIDCO to Central Railway has raised concerns among hundreds of workers who have been maintaining these stations for years.

Around 323 workers are currently employed through CIDCO-appointed contractors. With Central Railway expected to take over the stations and issue fresh contracts, workers are worried that they could lose their jobs despite their long experience. The issue was raised by MP Naresh Mhaske during a meeting with Central Railway officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Mhaske urged the railway authorities to ensure that workers who have genuinely served at the stations are not removed simply because the management has changed.

Some workers have reportedly been associated with the railway premises for several years, with a few having worked there for nearly three decades. Officials also discussed differences in the number of workers shown in contractor records. It was suggested that attendance records, employment history and other documents be verified before new contracts are finalized. Central Railway Divisional Railway Manager Hiresh Meena reportedly said that workers who have genuinely been working at the stations and meet the required conditions will be considered under the rules during the new contracting process.

The workers will now have to await the verification process and the final decision on their employment.