Residents Fear NMIA Flight Expansion Could Choke City Roads; Uran Phata, Kalamboli & Thane-Belapur Road Among Key Concerns

Navi Mumbai's already busy roads could face additional pressure if a substantial number of international flights are eventually shifted from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), with residents fearing that airport-bound traffic could add to their daily commuting woes.

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Citywide Impact Feared

The concern is particularly significant for residents who travel extensively within the city for work, as the additional movement of taxis, private cars, buses and other passenger vehicles could spill beyond the airport's immediate vicinity and affect major arterial roads and junctions across Navi Mumbai and Panvel.

The proposed shift of more than a third of Mumbai airport's international departures to NMIA has currently been put on hold following a meeting of stakeholders in Delhi on Tuesday. The Centre has asked Adani Airport Holdings Ltd to work on a fresh roadmap for the redevelopment of Mumbai airport's Terminal 1. However, the eventual scale of flight movement at NMIA could have a direct bearing on Navi Mumbai's road traffic.

Flight Numbers Awaited

Traffic police are yet to get clarity on the number of flights that could eventually be handled by NMIA on a daily or weekly basis.

DCP Traffic Rahul Khade said, "We are yet to get clarity on how many flights will be landing at Navi Mumbai airport on a daily or weekly basis, as there has been no official communication so far. Once we receive the details, proper and required arrangements will be made."

Existing Traffic Could Worsen

For Navi Mumbai residents, the concern is that airport traffic will not remain restricted to roads immediately surrounding NMIA. Vehicles travelling to and from the airport will merge with the city's existing commuter traffic, potentially worsening congestion at key junctions.

Uran Phata and the T-Point are likely to be among the important pressure points. The roads in this belt already cater to local residents, industrial traffic and goods vehicles. A rise in airport-bound traffic could make movement difficult, particularly during peak hours.

Gavhan Phata Crucial Link

Gavhan Phata is another crucial link between the airport and Navi Mumbai. An increase in airport traffic could spill over onto Palm Beach Road, which already experiences heavy traffic during office hours and in the evening.

"Traffic is already a concern during peak hours. My job involves a lot of travelling within the city and if the airport brings a substantial increase in traffic, it might become difficult to reach different parts of Navi Mumbai on time," said Om Prakash, a Nerul resident.

Kalamboli Could Face Bottleneck

Kalamboli is another potential bottleneck, as traffic travelling towards Navi Mumbai and Panvel converges in the area. Additional airport-bound vehicles could further slow movement at one of the region's important road junctions. Palspe Phata, too, will be critical for vehicles approaching the airport from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and other routes.

The Atal Setu could also become an important route for passengers travelling from Mumbai to NMIA. However, traffic authorities will have to assess the impact beyond the bridge, as vehicles would eventually enter Navi Mumbai and Panvel through existing connecting roads and junctions.

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The Thane-Belapur Road is another corridor that could feel the impact. The road already handles heavy commuter and industrial traffic through Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Mahape, Koparkhairane, Turbhe and Belapur. Additional airport traffic could increase travel time for residents and employees using the corridor for their daily commute.

The concern, therefore, is not merely about traffic reaching the airport but about the cumulative impact on Navi Mumbai's road network. If flight operations at NMIA increase significantly, traffic management will have to cover the entire network of approach roads, junctions and alternative routes rather than focusing only on the airport access roads.

For now, the exact scale of the additional traffic remains uncertain. But residents and traffic authorities are likely to be watching the eventual flight allocation closely, as it will determine whether the city's existing road network can absorb the additional airport traffic without further worsening everyday congestion.

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