In a significant intervention, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) to grant Right of Way (RoW) permissions to telecom service providers, potentially resolving a months-long dispute over mobile network access inside the airport.
In a letter dated February 16 addressed to Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airports Holdings Limited, the DoT instructed the airport operator to process applications from telecom companies in accordance with the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024.
The communication effectively categorises NMIA as a public entity under the Act, thereby bringing it squarely within the statutory framework that mandates fair, transparent and non-discriminatory access to telecom infrastructure deployment.
What Is the DoT — And Why Its Word Matters
The Department of Telecommunications functions under the Ministry of Communications and is the central authority regulating telecom services in India. It frames policy, grants licences and oversees infrastructure access rules that ensure mobile networks function across public and private spaces.
Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, infrastructure providers such as airports, highways, railways and municipal bodies must allow licensed telecom operators reasonable access to establish network equipment, subject to defined rules and timelines.
The Right of Way Rules, 2024 were introduced precisely to avoid infrastructure bottlenecks that delay network rollout in critical public spaces.
In stepping in, the DoT has clarified that airport premises cannot operate outside this statutory framework.
What Triggered the Dispute?
The controversy traces back to complaints filed in December 2025 by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents major telecom players including Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
NMIA had deployed an in-building neutral telecom network — a system designed to provide shared infrastructure that operators could plug into for coverage within the terminal.
However, telecom companies reportedly objected to the financial terms, claiming that the airport demanded ₹44.16 crore per year from each operator to access the system — a figure they described as commercially excessive. They argued that installing their own infrastructure would be more economical.
Adani Airports, on its part, denied any irregularity, stating that the charges were aligned with those levied at other public-private partnership airports across India.
At its core, the dispute was commercial — but its impact was operational.
How Airport Mobile Networks Are Supposed to Work
Airports in India typically function under one of two models:
- A neutral in-building system managed by the airport, which telecom operators access.
- Direct installation of telecom infrastructure by operators themselves under Right of Way permissions.
In both cases, airports are generally obligated to provide non-discriminatory access to ensure seamless mobile connectivity — particularly in high-security, high-footfall environments where communication is essential.
The DoT’s intervention signals that such access cannot be restricted by prolonged commercial negotiations.
The Passenger Fallout
While the dispute unfolded behind the scenes, passengers bore the brunt.
Limited mobile network coverage inside NMIA meant flyers were often forced to rely on airport Wi-Fi. This created practical challenges, especially for:
- App-based taxi coordination
- OTP-based verification services
- Digital boarding passes
- Real-time payment transactions
In an era where air travel is deeply intertwined with digital services, patchy connectivity inside a major international airport raised eyebrows.
Reliable network access is no longer a convenience; it is part of operational infrastructure.
Are Things Changing?
While an official comment is awaited, according to a report published in The Indian Express, Airtel and BSNL have begun trial runs of their network at NMIA, signalling that the situation may already be moving towards resolution.
The DoT’s directive now adds regulatory clarity, ensuring that the airport processes telecom applications within defined timelines and statutory obligations.
The Larger Picture
Navi Mumbai International Airport is positioned as a key infrastructure asset for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Seamless connectivity — physical and digital — is central to that promise.
The current development is less about a clash between airport operators and telecom companies, and more about ensuring that regulatory frameworks function as intended.
As India’s aviation and telecom sectors expand simultaneously, coordination between infrastructure providers and communication networks will only grow more critical.
For passengers, the expectation is simple: when you land, your network should too
