PM Modi to visit Maharashtra on October 8-9; to inaugurate Navi Mumbai airport, host UK PM Keir Starmer

New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra on October 8 and 9 to inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport and launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai.
According to an official release from the Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Modi will reach Navi Mumbai and at around 3 pm and will undertake a walkthrough of the newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport. Thereafter, at around 3.30 pm, he will inaugurate Navi Mumbai International Airport and also launch and dedicate various projects in Mumbai. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.
On October 9, at around 10 am, the Prime Minister will host Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer in Mumbai. At around 1.40 pm, Prime Ministers of both countries will attend the CEO Forum at Jio World Center, Mumbai. Thereafter, at around 2.45 pm, both of them will attend the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest. They will also deliver keynote addresses at the Fest.
In line with his vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub, Prime Minister will inaugurate the Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) built at a cost of around Rs 19,650 crores.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India's largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). As the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, NMIA will work in tandem with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to ease congestion and elevate Mumbai into the league of global multi-airport systems. The airport, designed to be among the most efficient in the world with 1160 Ha area, will eventually handle 90 million passengers annually (MPPA) and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.
Among its unique offerings is an Automated People Mover (APM), a transit system planned to connect all four passenger terminals for smooth inter-terminal transfers, as well as a landside APM linking the city-side infrastructure. In line with sustainable practices, the airport will feature dedicated storage for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), solar power generation of approximately 47 MW, and EV bus services for public connectivity across the city. NMIA will also be the first airport in the country to be connected by Water Taxi.
Prime Minister will inaugurate Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line-3, stretching from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 12,200 crore. With this, he will dedicate the entire Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) -- to the nation with a total cost of over Rs 37,270 crore, marking a major milestone in the city's urban transport transformation.
As Mumbai's first and only fully underground metro line, this project is set to redefine commuting across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), offering a faster, more efficient, and modern transit solution for millions of residents.
The Mumbai Metro Line 3, spanning 33.5 km from Cuffe Parade to Aarey JVLR with 27 stations, will cater to 13 lakh passengers daily. The final Phase 2B of the project will provide seamless connectivity to South Mumbai's heritage and cultural districts such as Fort, Kala Ghoda, and Marine Drive, along with direct access to key administrative and financial hubs including the Bombay High Court, Mantralaya, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), and Nariman Point.
The Metro Line-3 has been designed to ensure efficient integration with other modes of transport, including railways, airports, other metro lines, and monorail services, thereby enhancing last-mile connectivity and reducing congestion across the metropolitan region.
Prime Minister will also launch "Mumbai One" - Integrated Common Mobility App for 11 Public transport Operators (PTO) across Metro, Monorail, Suburban railways and Bus PTOs. These include Mumbai Metro Line 2A and 7, Mumbai Metro Line 3, Mumbai Metro Line 1, Mumbai Monorail, Navi Mumbai Metro, Mumbai Suburban Railway, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), Thane Municipal Transport, Mira Bhayander Municipal Transport, Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Transport and Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport.
Mumbai One App offers commuters a range of benefits, including integrated mobile ticketing across multiple Public Transport Operators, elimination of queueing by promoting digital transactions, and seamless multimodal connectivity through a single dynamic ticket for trips involving multiple transport modes.
It also provides real-time journey updates on delays, alternative routes, and estimated arrival times, along with map-based information on nearby stations, attractions, and points of interest, and an SOS feature to ensure commuter safety. Together, these features enhance convenience, efficiency, and security, transforming the public transportation experience across Mumbai.
Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Short-Term Employability Program (STEP), a pioneering initiative by the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation in Maharashtra. The program will be rolled out across 400 Government ITIs and 150 Government Technical High Schools, marking a major step in aligning skill development with industry requirements to enhance employability. STEP will establish 2,500 new training batches, including 364 exclusive batches for women and 408 batches in emerging technology courses such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Electric Vehicles (EV), Solar, and Additive Manufacturing etc.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit India on October 8-9. This will be Prime Minister Starmer's first official visit to India.
During the visit, the two Prime Ministers will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with 'Vision 2035', a focused and time-bound 10-year roadmap of programmes and initiatives in key pillars of trade and investment, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate and energy, health, education and people-to-people relations.
Both leaders will engage with businesses and industry leaders on opportunities presented by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a central pillar of the future India-UK economic partnership. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. The leaders will also engage with industry experts, policymakers and innovators.
Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer will also participate in the 6th edition of the Global Fintech Fest at Jio World Centre, Mumbai, and deliver keynote addresses on the occasion.
Global Fintech Fest 2025 will bring together innovators, policymakers, central bankers, regulators, investors, academicians, and industry leaders from around the world. The conference's central theme, 'Empowering Finance for a Better World' - Powered by AI, Augmented Intelligence, Innovation, and Inclusion, highlights the convergence of technology and human insight in shaping an ethical and sustainable financial future.
This year's edition is expected to attract a footfall of over 100,000 participants from more than 75 countries, making it one of the world's largest fintech gatherings. The event will feature participation from around 7,500 companies, 800 speakers, 400 exhibitors, and 70 regulators representing both Indian and international jurisdictions.
Among the participating international institutions are renowned regulators such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Deutsche Bundesbank of Germany, Banque de France, and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). Their participation underscores GFF's growing stature as a global forum for financial policy dialogue and cooperation. (ANI)