In an exclusive interaction with Vijay Singhal (I.A.S.), Vice Chairman & Managing Director, CIDCO, Society Interiors & Design presents a crisp overview of NAINA, the planned, future-ready urban extension rising around the Navi Mumbai International Airport, driven by design-led planning and robust infrastructure development.
With the Navi Mumbai International Airport as the nucleus, how is NAINA’s infrastructure being planned to support the anticipated growth in population and economic activity?
NAINA (Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area) represents one of Maharashtra’s most ambitious urban initiatives, which is a rare chance to design an entirely new city around the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. Conceptualized in 2013, NAINA spans approximately 240 sq. km and covers 92 villages, transforming largely rural land into a well-planned, future-ready urban ecosystem. The fundamental idea was that development around such a major airport cannot be left to unregulated, piecemeal growth. CIDCO, appointed as the Special Planning Authority, is therefore steering a structured, people-centric model of urbanisation anchored in robust infrastructure, environmental sensitivity and participatory land development. The city’s planning framework focuses on:
• Creating a strong trunk infrastructure backbone with wide roads and underground utilities
• Integrating residential, commercial, institutional and recreational uses around the airport
• Ensuring that quality of life, not just density, drives the urban form
Could you highlight some of the major infrastructure projects currently underway or planned within NAINA?
Several major infrastructure projects have already moved from planning to implementation. Work orders worth more than ₹8,000 crore have been issued for an extensive road network of over 200 km across Town Planning Schemes (TPS) 1–12, marking a significant shift from conceptual planning to on-ground execution. In parallel, two metro lines, M-24 and M-26 are being planned as the mass transit spine for the region, connecting various parts of NAINA with the Navi Mumbai International Airport and further into the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), with DPRs in advanced stages. Additional regional roads are being designed to plug NAINA into the Mumbai– Pune Expressway, key highways and airport access routes, ensuring smooth regional connectivity. River training works are also underway to stabilise river courses and manage flooding, alongside plans for curated riverfronts featuring promenades, cafes, cultural spaces and public seating—similar in spirit to global riverfront developments but adapted to local conditions. At the same time, growth centres are being positioned to attract large corporates, data centres, logistics players, hospitality brands, hospitals and commercial developments, supported by this expanding infrastructure framework.
How is CIDCO ensuring seamless connectivity—both internal and with the rest of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region?
Connectivity, both internal and external, is central to NAINA’s urban logic. Strategically located about 6–10 km from the Navi Mumbai International Airport, NAINA naturally functions as the airport’s extended urban and economic zone. Externally, a layered network of highways, expressways, arterial roads and metro lines will connect NAINA to Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Pune and the wider region, ensuring it operates as an integral part of the MMR rather than an isolated satellite. Internally, the planning is rooted in a “walk to work” philosophy, where neighbourhoods are structured so that homes, workplaces and everyday amenities are typically within a 10–15 minute walk. A continuous system of walking paths and forest trails is being woven into the urban fabric to promote active mobility and reduce dependence on private vehicles. Together, this combination of airport proximity, metro connectivity, highway linkages and walkable neighbourhood planning is intended to make NAINA a seamlessly connected `Third Mumbai.’
How do land pooling or town planning schemes fit into NAINA’s overall development strategy?
Land pooling and Town Planning Schemes (TPS) are at the heart of NAINA’s development strategy and are key to its participatory character. Instead of conventional land acquisition that displaces landowners, CIDCO has adopted a model where farmers and landholders become stakeholders in the new city. Under TPS 1–12, land from multiple owners is pooled, comprehensively planned and reconstituted; after this exercise, 40% of the original land is returned to the landowners as developed plots, often adjoining major roads or in more strategic locations. The remaining land is distributed broadly as follows:
• A substantial share goes into roads and public infrastructure
• A portion is reserved for open spaces, community grounds and social amenities
• Around 15% is retained by CIDCO as growth centres, earmarked for offices, malls, hospitals, high-end residential and other high-intensity uses
This 15% becomes a key revenue source to fund the large-scale infrastructure across NAINA. Even with only 40% land returned, land values are already estimated to be three to four times higher than their earlier rural valuations, with significantly greater upside expected as urbanisation progresses. Crucially, this model avoids displacing rural communities and instead positions them as partners and beneficiaries of the new city.
What role do digital infrastructure and “smart city” technology play in NAINA’s
Digital infrastructure and smart city systems are deeply embedded in NAINA’s long-term vision. Major roads are being designed with underground ducts and utility corridors that carry high-speed OFC networks, power cables and other services, enabling a robust digital backbone. This allows each plot to function on a plug-and-play model for connectivity, without repeated road-digging for new services or repairs. The smart city approach goes beyond basic Wi-Fi and aims to integrate:
• Public transport platforms for metro and bus systems with real-time information
• Citizen-facing digital governance interfaces for approvals, services and grievance redressal
• Data-driven tools for managing infrastructure, traffic and urban growth
The result is a digitally enabled, infrastructuresmart city where technology amplifies convenience, transparency and operational efficiency for residents, businesses and administrators alike.
How is the administration ensuring environmental conservation, especially considering NAINA’s proximity to ecologically sensitive zones?
Environmental conservation and sustainable development are core commitments within NAINA’s planning. The administration is highly conscious of eco-sensitive zones such as CRZ areas, mangroves and natural habitats, and wherever interventions intersect these zones, required statutory permissions are obtained and compensatory afforestation is undertaken. The broader green structure of the city draws inspiration from Navi Mumbai’s existing nodes like Vashi, Belapur and Panvel, where large green belts and generous open spaces are a defining feature. In NAINA, hillocks and mountains—apart from specific cases within the airport footprint where some cutting and river diversion (such as the Gadhi River) were essential—are being preserved as landscape assets instead of being flattened. The plan includes a continuous forest trail network and a series of open spaces that integrate recreation with ecological preservation. Rivers are being trained and stabilised to prevent flooding and uncontrolled meandering, and along these trained courses, riverfront developments with promenades, seating, cultural venues and leisure amenities are envisioned. The overarching objective is ecologically sensitive urbanism that avoids turning the region into a concrete-dominated landscape.
What long-term impact do you foresee NAINA having on the overall development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region?
In the long term, NAINA is poised to become a powerful new growth engine for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Often referred to by the Hon’ble Chief Minister as the “Third Mumbai,” it is being envisioned as a model, globally benchmarked city that complements the historic island city and Navi Mumbai. As the city develops around the international airport, it is expected to attract a wide mix of corporate offices, data centres, logistics hubs, hospitality brands, hospitals, retail venues and educational institutions. This diversification will generate large-scale employment and shift local communities from a primarily agrarian base to a more dynamic urban economy. With the combined momentum of the Navi Mumbai International Airport and NAINA’s urban build-out, the wider region is expected to see a significant socio-economic uplift, with estimates suggesting a potential contribution to the GDP in the long run. For local residents, this translates into better infrastructure, education, healthcare, recreation and income opportunities, making NAINA not just a new city but a catalyst for regional transformation.
NAINA represents a rare opportunity to shape an entirely new urban frontier. What is the larger vision guiding this project, and how do you see it enriching the socio-economic momentum of the MMR region in the years ahead?
The larger vision guiding NAINA is to reimagine what an Indian city can be when built on a greenfield canvas with a clear, future-oriented philosophy. This vision is anchored in planned, not accidental, urbanism—moving away from the typical pattern of unstructured urban sprawl around high-value infrastructure like airports. NAINA is conceived as a humancentric, participatory city where landowners and farmers are partners in development through land pooling, receiving developed plots and long-term socio-economic benefits rather than being displaced. The urban experience is designed around iconic, theme-based spaces—such as the elevated rotary near Vichumbe in TPS 7, stadiums, community grounds, forested corridors, riverfront promenades and high-energy growth centres— creating a city that feels distinctive and aspirational. With underground plug-and-play utilities, integrated multi-modal connectivity, smart digital systems and ecologically sensitive planning, NAINA is intended to evolve into a future-ready urban ecosystem over the next 15 years, backed by investments exceeding ₹30,000 crore. In doing so, it promises to reshape the socio-economic trajectory of its local communities and significantly enrich the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region—emerging as a true “Third Mumbai” and a benchmark for greenfield city development in India.
