Air India Express to operate 20 daily flights to 15 cities from Navi Mumbai International Airport
Mumbai (PTI): Air India group on Tuesday said it will commence commercial flights from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport with its low-cost arm, Air India Express, operating 20 daily departures to over 15 cities in the first phase of operations.
This will be scaled up to 55 daily departures, including five international, by mid-2026, Air India said in a statement.
Jointly owned by Adani Group and Maharashtra's town development authority CIDCO, Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is set for inauguration later this month.
"We look forward to commencing operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport. We are happy to work with Adani Airports to build NMIA not only as a point that connects to the rest of India, but also as one of the country's key global transit hubs for both -- passengers and cargo -- given its strategic geographical location," said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India.
In the initial phase of the new airport's operations, Air India Express will operate 20 daily departures or 40 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) to and from the new airport, connecting 15 Indian cities.
By winter 2026, the Air India group aims to further expand its operations to 60 daily departures (120 ATMs) from the facility, seamlessly connecting passengers to key domestic and international destinations.
Air India Express' planned operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport will significantly enhance connectivity to and from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to destinations within and outside India, while facilitating seamless international transit through the new airport, it said.
"This partnership will redefine Mumbai's connectivity landscape and strengthen India's twin-airport strategy. NMIA's adoption of technology for enhancing efficiency and best-in-class experience for passengers will play a pivotal role in delivering seamless and superior passenger journeys for decades to come," said Arun Bansal, Chief Executive Officer, Adani Airport Holdings Ltd.
The greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai International is being built in five phases, with the launch phase expected to accommodate 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and handle 0.5 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo.
Upon full completion, NMIA will have the capacity to serve 90 MPPA and handle 3.2 MMT of cargo annually, Air India said.
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Protest against demolition drive turns violent in Kolkata, 3 cops injured
Kolkata (PTI): A protest against the recent bulldozer action in Kolkata's Tiljala turned violent on Sunday as demonstrators hurled stones at police personnel in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, injuring at least three officials and damaging several vehicles.
The flare-up came days after bulldozers rolled into Tiljala as part of the West Bengal government's demolition drive against alleged illegal constructions following the factory fire that killed two persons earlier this week.
On Sunday afternoon, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point Crossing to protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block roads, police said.
As police tried to disperse, what they described as an "unlawful assembly", a section of protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos in the area.
Several vehicles parked along the roadside, including those carrying central forces, were vandalised, officials said.
Heavy deployment of Kolkata Police and central forces was made in the area after the clashes. Route marches and intensified patrolling were undertaken in adjoining localities to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas said action has already been initiated against those involved in the violence.
"Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them, and there was pelting of stones. Three of our colleagues were injured," Biswas told reporters.
"We have already arrested a few people," he said.
The officer said police followed standard operating procedures, and efforts were underway to identify all those involved in the violence.
"There was an attack on the police. We will see who is behind it and arrest everyone. Strict legal action will be taken," he added.
While the police maintained the agitation was linked to administrative action against illegal buildings, some locals claimed that grievances over alleged restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during religious prayers and curbs on offering prayers on roads had also contributed to the tensions.
The developments come close on the heels of tension in Kolkata's Rajabazar area on Friday, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.
According to police sources, a large contingent of personnel reached the area and asked people to vacate the road, after which the situation turned tense briefly.
Members of the local community argued that holding Friday prayers on roads had been a long-standing practice in the locality, while the administration maintained that keeping roads clear was necessary for traffic movement and maintenance of law and order.
Police, however, did not indicate any direct connection between the Rajabazar incident and Sunday's violence in Park Circus.
Authorities also did not immediately disclose the number of persons arrested in Sunday's clashes or whether any protesters sustained injuries during the confrontation.
