Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL)-operated Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) will begin phased redevelopment of the North Section of Terminal 1B from January 2027, following safety concerns over the 60-year-old infrastructure.
Mumbai airport handles around 55 million passengers a year, of which only about 5 million passengers, or 9%, will be temporarily deoperationalised during the first phase. The North Section accounts for about one-third of Terminal 1’s capacity.
Majority of traffic remains unaffected
“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,” Adani Airport Holdings, CEO, Arun Bansal, said.
“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,” he said.
Airlines offered Navi Mumbai option
To maintain continuity of operations, AAHL has given airlines the option to temporarily relocate their operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport at their discretion.
AAHL said it will provide airlines with the necessary assistance during the transition to ensure a smooth migration of services.
Terminal safety concerns
Terminal 1 has been identified as a safety-related concern for several years, with temporary mitigation measures being implemented because there was no viable alternative for passengers and airlines.
The fire incident at Terminal 1 in April this year further highlighted the risks associated with continuing operations at the ageing infrastructure, the company said.
Redevelopment to raise capacity
With Navi Mumbai International Airport now operational and providing an alternative for airlines and passengers, AAHL said the planned closure and phased demolition of Terminal 1 could no longer be deferred.
The redevelopment of Terminal 1 is expected to increase its capacity by 33%, taking it to 20 million passengers per annum from the current 15 million passengers per annum.
Incentives for international flights
Navi Mumbai International Airport is offering a 100% discount on landing fees for new international flights as part of efforts to support the transition.
The airport also plans to offer cash vouchers to international passengers to offset the difference in User Development Fee between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airports.
Two airports to complement each other
Bansal said the transition to Navi Mumbai Airport is temporary and does not represent a permanent shift of Mumbai airport traffic.
Mumbai Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport are positioned as complementary airports to address the constrained aviation infrastructure requirements of the Mumbai metropolitan region.