Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is opposing plans to shift international flights from Mumbai airport to Navi Mumbai airport. He communicated with the union civil aviation minister regarding an alternative redevelopment proposal for Terminal 1.
This plan aims to keep the existing terminal operational during its replacement construction. The Airports Authority of India holds a minority stake in Mumbai airport, while Adani Airport Holdings Ltd is the majority stakeholder.
In a letter to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, Fadnavis has suggested an alternative sequence for the redevelopment, under which the new terminal would be developed before the existing one is demolished.
"The idea is to have simultaneous development so that there is no need to transfer or cancel flights," a senior official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) told PTI.
Under the proposed plan, Terminal 1B of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai would be developed first, after which operations from Terminal 1A would be shifted to 1B. Terminal 1A would then be demolished and reconstructed.
The proposal will enable the airport to undertake the redevelopment in phases instead of shutting down the entire existing terminal before construction of its replacement begins.
The redevelopment of T1, commissioned in 1964, is being undertaken primarily to address structural and safety concerns flagged in audits conducted by Structwel in 2017 and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 2024.
Airlines oppose proposed flight shift
The proposed relocation has faced resistance from airlines, particularly foreign carriers, which have raised concerns about the transition plan and the infrastructure connectivity to Navi Mumbai.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), the operator of CSMIA, had initially planned to shift flights to 14 international destinations, including Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, Muscat, and Riyadh, to NMIA from October 25. However, following objections from several foreign airlines, the operator deferred the proposed transition to March 2027.
MIAL wants to relocate or temporarily suspend as many as 260 international departures to accommodate domestic operations being shifted from Terminal 1.
Navi Mumbai International Airport, located in the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, is expected to ease congestion at the existing airport. However, concerns have also been raised over connectivity and infrastructure shortcomings that could make the commute difficult for passengers.
Meanwhile, Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air, along with Adani Airport Holdings, have announced plans to shift their international operations to NMIA in a phased manner over the coming months.
Mumbai airport's T2 international operations may be cut by a third from summer 2027
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has informed airlines about plans to reduce international operations at Terminal 2 by a third from the Summer 2027 schedule, beginning in March-end. The move is intended to accommodate five million passengers per annum (mppa) of domestic traffic displaced by the first phase of Terminal 1 demolition
The existing 15-mppa Terminal 1 is scheduled to be completely demolished by March 2028, with reconstruction beginning thereafter. The new terminal is expected to be ready by December 2030. Airline sources have warned that shutting T1 entirely could leave Mumbai airport facing a substantial capacity shortfall for three years or more.
Mumbai airport operator Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) initially planned to implement the partial shifting of international operations from October 25 this year and later deferred the deadline till March 2027 following concerns raised by various foreign airlines about the transition plan.
Two weeks ago, representatives from more than 35 airlines and Mumbai airport officials discussed the transition plan for partially shifting international flights from the airport to the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Both sides had a constructive dialogue and MIAL presented detailed redevelopment schedules for T1, sources earlier said.
The new Terminal 1 at the CSMIA is expected to increase the terminal's passenger-handling capacity from 15 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 20 MPPA. It will also feature upgrades to passenger processing, security screening and other infrastructure, with the redeveloped facility targeted to become operational by March 2029.
