North Section Of Mumbai Airport's Terminal 1B To Be Redeveloped, Some Flights To Be Shifted To Navi Mumbai

In a major upgrade for Terminal 1 of Mumbai Airport, Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL)-operated Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) will begin redevelopment of the North Section of Terminal 1B. This is necessitated by safety concerns regarding the 60-year-old building and has prompted phased redevelopment of the said terminal, AAHL said.

Of Mumbai airport's (IATA code - BOM) approximately 55 million passengers per annum (mppa), only around 5 mppa (about 9%) will be temporarily deoperationalised. To ensure continuity of operations and minimise inconvenience to passengers, AAHL has provided airlines with the option to temporarily relocate their operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport (IATA: NMI) at their discretion. AAHL will support airlines through this transition and will provide all necessary assistance to ensure a smooth and seamless migration of services, a statement from AAHL said.

"91% of Mumbai Airport's passenger traffic will remain unaffected even as we undertake redevelopment of the age-old infrastructure that was in urgent need of repairs. Only the North Section of Terminal 1B, which accounts for around one-third of T1 of Mumbai Airport's capacity, is being demolished in Phase 1 to minimise passenger inconvenience and operational disruption. The transition to Navi Mumbai Airport is temporary and does not represent a permanent shift of Mumbai Airport traffic," said Arun Bansal, CEO, Adani Airport Holdings Limited.

Mumbai Airport and Navi Mumbai Airport are complementary airports addressing the severely constrained aviation infrastructure requirements of India's commercial capital region.

Following the fire incident at Mumbai Airport's Terminal 1 in April this year, the risks associated with continuing operations have become even more pronounced. With Navi Mumbai International Airport now operational and capable of providing an alternative option for airlines and travellers, the planned closure and phased demolition of Terminal 1 can no longer be deferred, Adani Airport Holdings Limited said.

T1 redevelopment will begin in January 2027, which will increase its capacity by 33% - up to 20 mppa from the current 15 mppa.

"Extensive consultations with airlines on the future of Terminal 1 have been ongoing since 2020, and the proposed redevelopment was also presented before AERA and subsequently incorporated into the approved tariff framework. While we appreciate the concerns expressed by certain airlines, passenger safety must remain paramount, and any further delay in commencing this process could adversely impact the safety and convenience of millions of travellers," Bansal said.

Along with this, the Navi Mumbai Airport is getting a major connectivity push. Passengers will be able to reach the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) more easily with affordable choices for passengers.

NMIA is now offering passengers a bouquet of multimodal transport options across buses, taxis, autorickshaws, car rentals, and airport shuttles, with economical fares and multiple public transport choices from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC will also start e-Shivai bus services priced at Rs 450 to Pune, Rs 210 to Borivali and Rs 170 to Dadar East.

Along with this Bharat Taxi, Uber & prepaid options 21 daily Chalo services + 7 NMMT routes will also be available. A complimentary hourly shuttle to CSMIA in Andheri will also be available for airport-to-airport transfer. With transport capacity being scaled up to 4,594 services, NMIA is expanding affordable and convenient travel choices for passengers.

More ways to access Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), with affordable choices for passengers. NMIA offers passengers a bouquet of multimodal transport options across buses, taxis, autorickshaws, car rentals, and airport shuttles, with economical fares and multiple public transport choices from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune. MSRTC e-Shivai: ₹450 to Pune | ₹210 to Borivali | ₹170 to Dadar East Bharat Taxi, Uber & prepaid options 21 daily Chalo services + 7 NMMT routes Complimentary hourly shuttle to CSMIA With transport capacity being scaled up to 4,594, NMIA is expanding affordable and convenient travel choices for passengers.

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Aviation veteran Sanjiv Kapoor, who is currently acting CEO of flyadeal commented on the development.  

"Bombay Airport obviously has a lot of constraints. It is the busiest single-runway airport in the world and everywhere in the world we have seen that if the airport becomes a constraint, the economy of the city gets held back. I think a great example is Delhi. As Delhi airport expanded and now it has four runways, until the nineties, Bombay was a busier airport than Delhi. And now Delhi is almost twice as busy as Bombay because it built the capacity. Bombay is doing that. Now how they manage that, how they manage the movement of airlines between airports - I don't think it is appropriate for us to comment, excepting we fully, again as a professional, fully understand the need to build capacity and to grow it," he said.

"We don't fly to Navi Mumbai, but seeing the location of the airport, it has got great catchment around it, and I think once the transportation links and everything is built up, it should be fantastic," Kapoor added.

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)