Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is set for a major redevelopment, with the Adani Group-operated facility planning to demolish a section of its nearly 80-year-old Terminal 1 (T1) from January 15, 2027. The redevelopment will be accompanied by a phased redistribution of flight operations to Terminal 2 (T2) and the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates the airport, has informed the Civil Aviation Ministry about the proposed changes. The airport currently has capacity for more than 50 million passengers and handles over 950 flight movements each day.
Under the first phase of the T1 redevelopment, MIAL plans to remove the North Section of Terminal 1-B. The operator said the section handles around five million passengers annually and that restricting the initial redevelopment to this portion would help reduce disruption to airlines and travellers.
“It has been decided that Phase 1 of the redevelopment plan of BOM Terminal 1 shall be limited to just the North Section of Terminal 1-B (catering to around 5 mppa traffic) in order to ensure minimal impact on airline operations and passenger convenience,” MIAL’s Chief Airport Officer Vishnu Mohan Jha said in a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha.
T1 and T2 currently have capacities of around 15 million and 40 million passengers, respectively. Some portions of T1 have already been demolished as part of the broader redevelopment process.
To facilitate the transition, at least one-third of international air traffic movements will be shifted to Navi Mumbai International Airport from October 1. From October 25, at least one-third of the flights operating from T1 will subsequently be transferred to T2.
MIAL has also begun coordinating with airlines over the operational changes. Akasa Air shifted its domestic operations from T1 to T2 from August 1, while discussions are underway regarding further flight movements.
In a letter dated August 13, MIAL requested the ministry to establish a Joint Transition Group chaired by the Civil Aviation Secretary to coordinate stakeholders and minimise inconvenience to passengers.
Both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports are owned by the Adani Group.
Source: Rediff
