Mumbai Airport: CM Fadnavis Proposes New Plan For Terminal 1 Upgrade

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, has formally opposed the proposed shifting of international flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). CM Fadnavis said, in a letter that he sent to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, that no flights should be moved out of Mumbai and that both airport facilities should operate independently at their respective full capacities.

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis Opposes Moving Flights To NMIA

There was a similar strong pushback from international airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA similarly advocated for a phased reconstruction to avoid complete loss of airport capacity.

Prior to the CM's letter, Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had outlined plans to relocate flights serving 14 international destinations to Navi Mumbai. These included flights to West Asian destinations such as Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Fujairah, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Madinah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh, and Sharjah, and South Asian destinations such as Dhaka, Jakarta, and Kathmandu.

Also Read: Mumbai Airport T1 Demolition: Airlines Reject MIAL's Proposal To Move One-Third International Flights

Fadnavis’s Phased Infrastructure Alternative

Instead of transferring operations to Navi Mumbai, Fadnavis has proposed an alternative phased redevelopment model for Mumbai’s aging Terminal 1 (T1). Under this proposed framework, airport authorities would first construct Terminal 1B.

Once this is completed, existing operations would transition from Terminal 1A to Terminal 1B, and only then will the old 1A structure be demolished. In an article recently published by the Economic Times (ET), Fadnavis wrote, “I have written to them to first develop Terminal 1B, shift 1A to 1B, and then take down the existing 1A terminal.”

Also Read: Navi Mumbai Airport International Flights: New Routes, Airlines & What To Know

Summing Up

In order to alleviate airside congestion during structural works, MIAL also proposed a 3.042-km underground tunnel that will connect the T1 and T2 aprons along with additional south apron stands. The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is currently evaluating the Chief Minister's phased proposal alongside airline feedback.