A major transition plan is taking shape across Mumbai's aviation network as plans to upgrade Terminal 1 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport advance toward ground execution. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has stepped in to coordinate operations between airline operators and airport management, focusing centrally on moving selected international flight operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport. With full-scale reconstruction work scheduled to commence in January 2027, aviation authorities are working out transition logistics well ahead of time to maintain orderly schedule management.
Airlines Confront Flight Reductions and Relocation Timelines
Due to the redevelopment schedule at Terminal 1, airline companies have been asked to adjust their operating timetables starting from October 25. Under this proposal, carriers face the choice of either curtailing one-third of their international flight operations or transferring those services to the newly developed Navi Mumbai facility. Adani Airport Holdings, an arm of the Adani Group, oversees operational management at both the primary Mumbai airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport. While commercial airlines have voiced operational reservations regarding this operational shift, Adani Airport Holdings maintains that comprehensive deliberations regarding the future roadmap of Terminal 1 have been actively underway with airline operators since 2020.
Civil Aviation Secretary to Lead Crucial Stakeholder Deliberations
To address structural concerns and operational alignment, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha will chair a pivotal coordination meeting on October 6. The high-level conference will bring together leadership representatives from Adani Airports alongside key passenger carriers including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and other scheduled airline operators. The discussions are slated to establish working protocols around flight allocations, schedule transfers, and passenger transit safeguards during the transition phase.
Phased Modernisation for a Six-Decade-Old Structure
Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) outlined that the infrastructure overhaul will focus initially on the northern section of Terminal 1B at Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL). Structural safety priorities regarding the 60-year-old facility have necessitated a careful, phased engineering overhaul. According to official operational projections, out of the roughly 5.5 crore passengers traveling through Mumbai airport annually, only around 9% will experience any temporary impact during this restructuring process.
Overwhelming Majority of Passenger Traffic to Remain Unaffected
Addressing the operational scope, Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings Limited, stated, "Mumbai airport's 91% passenger traffic will not be impacted at all, even as we redevelop aging infrastructure that required urgent intervention." He noted that to safeguard passenger convenience and prevent major disruptions, initial demolition work will be strictly confined to the northern wing of Terminal 1B, which accounts for roughly one-third of the operational handling capacity of Terminal 1.
