As Mumbai opens its second airport this year, the operator of the city's current air hub -Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai Airport) – announced plans to redevelop the airport's Terminal 1 (T1).
As Mumbai opens its second airport this year, the operator of the city's current air hub -Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai Airport) – announced plans to make upgrades to the airport within the next few years. Among the first projects will be the redevelopment of the airport's Terminal 1 (T1).
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) - a public-private partnership venture between Adani Airport Holdings and the Airports Authority of India – revealed that Mumbai Airport T1 will be closed before the end of the year. The demolition of T1 – the airport's oldest terminal building – is scheduled in November to mark the start of the first phase of the project.
Scheduled for completion in 2028-2029, the new T1 will be designed to accommodate 20 million passengers per year. The terminal will serve domestic flights with provisions for future international flight services.
In 2024, arround 15 million passengers traveled through Mumbai Airport Terminal 1.
Features and amenities that have been mentioned to be a part of the new T1 include infrastructure enhancements such as advanced baggage handling systems, district cooling, and upgraded electrical substations. An inter-modal transit hub will also be built with direct metro access and underground stations for better ground transport options to the city.
According to airport officials, T1 will be India’s first brownfield, biophilic, and sustainable airport. The terminal will feature a biophilic design with elements such as indoor greenery, natural light, and open spaces.
Shift of Passenger Traffic to Navi Mumbai Airport
The move to redevelop Mumbai Airport T1 aims to help address the ongoing air traffic congestion experienced at the city's main air hub. Last year, Mumbai Airport – India's second busiest airport behind Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport - served 55 million passengers.
To minimize delays and inconvenience on passengers due to the upcoming closure of T1, officials have announced several moves including the shift of passenger traffic and general aviation flights to the Navi Mumbai Airport when it opens in May.
According to reports from local media outlets such as the Times of India and The Economic Times, around one-third of the yearly passenger traffic at Mumbai Airport T1 (~10 million passengers) will be shifted to Navi Mumbai Airport ahead of the terminal's closure. The remaining flights will be shifted to Terminal 2.
While Navi Mumbai Airport is expected to be the future main air hub for the city of Mumbai, Mumbai Airport is expected to take a secondary airport role. Both airports are expected to handle 50 million passengers yearly by 2030 before further expansion work – including more terminals and additional runway capacity – will help Navi Mumbai overtake Mumbai Airport.
Powered by Froala Editor