Mumbai’s airport is set to undergo a major transformation as the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1) begins in January 2027, a move expected to put pressure on available airport capacity during construction.
Adani Airport Holdings will shut sections of the terminal progressively, allowing airlines to shift operations to Terminal 2 (T2), Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) or other airports depending on their requirements.
Arun Bansal, CEO, Adani Airport Holdings, said the redevelopment cannot be postponed because the existing terminal needs to be demolished and rebuilt. “From the beginning of January, one-third of T1 will be shut down. Two-thirds a little later and, further ahead, the entire T1 will be shut down and redeveloped,” Bansal said.
Under the phased plan, the first stage of T1 demolition is scheduled for January 15, 2027, with flight operations expected to be redistributed between T2 and NMIA.
Bansal said airlines will independently determine how they manage the transition. “They have a choice to go anywhere or stop operations. When the NOTAM is over, when the terminal is back, they can start,” he said.
He added, “We can never tell airlines. Airlines have to make their own decisions based on their business logic,” he said.
Airlines have been given advance notice to allow sufficient preparation. “We have to tell them in advance. So, they have around six months of planning,” Bansal said.
The airport operator has rejected requests to postpone the redevelopment. “They say, can you delay the T1 demolition? We say, sorry, cannot,” he said.
Cargo Operations Also Set for Change
Mumbai airport’s cargo infrastructure is also due for redevelopment. Adani Airports expects freighter operations to shift to NMIA, although some delays have been reported. The existing cargo terminal will subsequently be rebuilt, with the work expected to take around three years.
“We need to tear down cargo. We have to make a new cargo terminal, which will take three years,” Bansal said.
“The existing cargo terminal is in poor condition and we could never give an alternative to airlines,” he said.
With NMIA providing another operating option, Bansal said, “Now, at least we are telling airlines, you have an alternative. You want to go to Navi Mumbai or you go somewhere else, but your choice,” he said.
Source: Financial Express
