Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has opposed a proposal to transfer international flight operations from Mumbai to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, asserting that flights should not be shifted out of the existing airport. He has written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister, suggesting an alternative approach to the planned redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1).
Speaking on Tuesday, Fadnavis proposed that the airport operator first construct Terminal 1B, transfer operations from Terminal 1A to the new facility and subsequently demolish the existing 1A structure. “I have written to them to first develop Terminal 1B, shift 1A to 1B and then take down the existing 1A terminal,” Fadnavis said.
The proposal would enable redevelopment to take place in stages while keeping airport operations functional, instead of shutting down the terminal before replacement infrastructure is available.
The dispute follows Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) informing airlines that international operations at Terminal 2 could be reduced by nearly one-third from the Summer 2027 schedule, beginning in March-end. The move is intended to accommodate five million passengers annually in domestic operations displaced by the first phase of T1 demolition.
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, which owns 74 per cent of Mumbai airport, has proposed transferring flights serving 14 international destinations to Navi Mumbai from next summer. These include Bahrain, Doha, Dhaka, Jeddah, Riyadh, Muscat, Kuwait City, Kathmandu, Jakarta, Dammam, Fujairah, Madinah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. The Airports Authority of India holds the remaining 26 per cent stake.
Airlines raise capacity concerns
The proposal has encountered opposition from airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has recommended a phased redevelopment strategy to prevent a major reduction in airport capacity.
The existing 15-million-passenger-per-annum T1 is scheduled for demolition by March 2028, with reconstruction expected to begin afterwards. The replacement terminal is targeted for completion by December 2030.
Airline representatives warn that shutting T1 could leave Mumbai airport facing a significant capacity shortage for at least three years. They have also highlighted operational limitations arising from the interconnected infrastructure of T1A, T1B and T1C.
Meanwhile, MIAL has proposed a 3.042-km underground airside tunnel connecting the T1 and T2 aircraft parking areas, alongside additional parking stands south of runway 09-27. The tunnel is intended to reduce lengthy aircraft transfers and monsoon-related delays when T2 parking capacity is insufficient.
Source: Times of India
