The 275-foot air traffic control (ATC) tower at Mumbai Airport is expected to be moved to make room for airside operations, and Terminal 1 (T1) will be entirely renovated by 2029. As part of its 2024–2029 aeronautical tariff review, Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL) is looking at potential new sites for the ATC tower.
A 3-km S-shaped airside tunnel, which would cost ₹894 crore, is a crucial piece of infrastructure that will enhance passenger and baggage movement between Terminals 1 and 2. Due to a lack of stands, T2 flights now frequently park at the T1 apron, necessitating lengthy perimeter road transfers that are particularly difficult during the monsoon season.
Currently, Mumbai Airport serves 5.5 crore people a year, of which 1.5 crore arrive at T1 and 4 crore arrive at T2. T1 will be demolished this year to make way for a new terminal that can accommodate 2 crore passengers, and T2 will grow to accommodate 4.5 crore. With these improvements, the airport’s annual passenger capacity will reach 6.5 crore.
With the main runway able to handle 42–44 planes per hour, runway capacity is still an issue. Arrival-departure sequencing should be optimised to boost capacity to 52–55 movements per hour, according to a study commissioned by AERA.
Redesigned customs screening, more check-in desks, and a separate crew facility are among the improvements that consultant Jacobs has suggested for T2. With these improvements, Mumbai Airport hopes to become even more efficient and solidify its position as a major aviation hub.
Source: Prop News Time
