Nashik airport will undergo a Rs 5.72 billion (bn) infrastructure upgrade intended to triple passenger handling capacity as the city prepares to host the Kumbh Mela next year. The expansion includes construction of a new 18,250 square metre terminal building with twenty four check-in counters and enhanced passenger facilities. Upon completion the airport's handling capacity is expected to rise to 1,000 passengers per hour. A new apron will double aircraft parking bays to 12 and is expected to improve aircraft handling and ease congestion during peak periods. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the terminal following a memorandum of understanding between the state government and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which owns the airport. Nashik Divisional Commissioner Praveen Gedam said the Maharashtra government will fully fund the project and that construction is expected to be completed within one year. Passenger traffic recorded steady growth between April and December 2025 when the airport handled zero point three million (mn) passengers, reflecting a year on year increase of 23 per cent. Currently IndiGo remains the only airline operating scheduled commercial services from Nashik with flights linking Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Goa and Hyderabad. The airport has also seen activity in cargo movement and from April to November last year it handled more than 6,400 metric tonne (t) of international cargo, with goat exports to West Asia accounting for a major share. The upgrade is being carried out ahead of the Kumbh Mela and is expected to support a sharp increase in passenger numbers during the event. During the previous Kumbh the Prayagraj airport raised passenger handling capacity from 350 per hour to 850 per hour by operating additional flights and increasing non-scheduled services. With construction underway Nashik's expanded facilities are expected to support higher passenger throughput and flight operations in the lead up to the festival.