MUMBAI, Sept. 17 -- Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is likely to be inaugurated on September 30 by PM Narendra Modi, who is already scheduled to be in the city for the opening of the Worli-Cuffe Parade stretch of Metro Line 3. According to urban development department officials, though two metro stations, Kalbadevi and Girgaon, are not yet ready, two of the four entry/exits will be opened after the inauguration. According to sources, the Mahayuti government delayed the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai airport on account of pitru paksha, which is considered inauspicious for new beginnings, and scheduled it for September 30, the auspicious eighth day of the Navratri festival. While NMIA officials refused to comment, a senior CIDCO officer corroborated that the inauguration would most likely be on September 30. The union government had set several deadlines like January 1, January 31, March 31 and June 2025 for the opening of the airport. Eventually, CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde visited the airport site in July this year and set the deadline of September 30. Positioned as a next-generation airport, NMIA will boast two parallel runways, state-of-the-art passenger facilities and a strong focus on green infrastructure. Fadnavis said the airport would be powered by 37 megawatts of renewable energy, and all on-site vehicles would be either electric or powered by alternative fuels. A standout feature of the airport is the ultra-fast baggage handling system that uses 360-degree barcode scanning for enhanced speed and accuracy. The baggage claim area will reportedly be among the fastest in the world. Connectivity is another key focus area. The airport will be accessible from all four directions via road, rail, and even water transport. Supporting infrastructure includes the Atal Setu, a coastal road under construction, and a proposed elevated link road to Thane. A metro link and underground access are also part of future phases, allowing travellers to reach the terminal with minimal walking-just 500 metres from bays to gates. First envisioned decades ago, the NMIA project kicked off in 2018 with a bhoomi poojan performed by Modi. However, the construction faced multiple hurdles, including a 2.5-year delay attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent slowdowns during the tenure of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Meanwhile, cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar has directed CIDCO to begin preparations for the installation of a Shiv Smarak and Shiv Mudra along the road leading to the NMIA....