On the eve of the first passenger flights at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a breathtaking drone show brightened the night sky on December 24 and mesmerized the residents of Navi Mumbai. While the airport will be inaugurating its operations with the people coming in from Thursday, the day before was something entirely different for the people who have constructed the airport.
NMIA Sees A Gorgeous Drone Show
At 8 pm on December 24, a fleet of drones created a dazzling light show in the sky over NMIA. In contrast to a typical inaugural event, the drone display was not a gift to the dignitaries or the general public. As a thank you gesture, it was organised for the workers who built the airport, the staff who supported, the teams from Mitti Caf, and their families, and the children were also included in the invitation to witness the show.
The message was pretty obvious: the people who built the airport by hand were given priority treatment over passengers, over VIPs, and even over the world. The event acknowledged their decades of work and sacrifice in a very quiet way, thus making it a rare moment of respect being given to these workers instead of being lost in the pomp and circumstance that usually accompany such events.
The next day, the new international airport of Navi Mumbai will be open to the public with 30 flights planned for the first day. The first landing will be of IndiGo flight 6E 460 from Bengaluru at 8 am, and shortly after, the first take-off of IndiGo’s 6E 882 to Hyderabad at 8.40 am. Besides, Akasa Air, Air India, and Star Air will also have their flights on the opening day.
More Details on NMIA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the project on November 8, and now, NMIA is anticipated to be the airport for residents of Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Pune, and the Konkan areas. With the launch of the new airport, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region goes a step further to be the first in India with two functional airports.
With a public, private partnership between Mumbai International Airport Limited and CIDCO, NMIA is an Adani Group project. The Greenfield Airport by Zaha Hadid Architects will start with a few domestic and international flights and will expand its capacity as the clearances come through.