Navi Mumbai: With the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) nearing completion, authorities are bracing for significant traffic and law-and-order challenges in the surrounding areas. To tackle this, the Navi Mumbai police Commissionerate has submitted a detailed proposal to the Director General of Police (DGP), requesting the creation of 177 dedicated posts for an independent traffic branch.

Infrastructure and population pressure
The new airport will feature four passenger terminals, two runways, a cargo hub, a truck terminal, airline offices, banks, hotels, shopping complexes, and key defence and weather establishments. This is expected to generate massive passenger traffic and cargo operations, accelerating population growth and commercial activity in nearby areas such as Kharghar, Taloja, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Panvel, Karanjade, Ulwe, Uran, and Dronagiri. Police anticipate a proportional rise in crime, requiring additional security measures.

Law-and-order needs
The airport precinct will need strong support systems, including air traffic control, bomb detection squads, fire services, and medical facilities. Heavy freight movement from cargo operations will add to the pressure. Police estimate that 395 new posts are required overall — 216 for the airport police station and 177 for traffic management.

Traffic projections
Authorities project NMIA will handle up to 9 crore (90 million) passengers and 360 crore metric tonnes of cargo annually. The airport’s connectivity to Thane, Belapur, Taloja industrial zones, JNPT, Atal Setu, the proposed coastal Road, four metro corridors, suburban rail, and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is expected to worsen congestion if not managed proactively.

Manpower shortfall
Currently, Ulwe police station, covering several villages near the airport, lacks sanctioned manpower. Police stress that diverting personnel from other stations is not an option due to rapid urbanization.

Push for sanctions
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Sanjaykumar Patil confirmed that the Commissionerate has urged the government to approve 108 posts for the airport police station and 177 posts for the traffic branch. The proposal is under consideration and likely to be cleared soon.