NAVI MUMBAI, July 13 -- With over 94% of the construction complete, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a target of September 30 for the formal inauguration of the long-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The greenfield project, which has seen years of delays, is being readied at a rapid pace, with the state government now pushing to complete the remaining work in time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it. Fadnavis, along with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, visited the NMIA site on Saturday noon to take stock of the progress. "The airport is progressing rapidly, with around 14,000 workers on-site. If needed, the workforce will be doubled to meet the deadline. Although the September 30 target is ambitious, we've aligned it with the Prime Minister's availability for the inauguration," the CM told the media. The airport project, billed as one of India's most modern aviation hubs, is being developed by the Adani Group-led Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) in partnership with CIDCO. It will eventually handle up to 90 million passengers annually, more than double the capacity of Mumbai's existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Officials say the runway is fully completed, while terminal construction is nearing the finish line. Ongoing work includes interior fittings, facade installations, and ceiling work. Most of the necessary construction and regulatory clearances are in place, with only a few commercial operation licences pending, which will be processed in parallel with remaining construction. "The goal is to have all operational permissions ready by the time we begin commercial flights," Fadnavis said. Domestic operations are expected to commence two months after the inauguration, following security handover and clearance by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). International services will be launched a few months thereafter. Fadnavis has also urged the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to advance the completion of the 'missing link' project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. While the current deadline is December, Fadnavis, during a site visit on Saturday, asked officials to aim for November....