Adani Airports to Partially Redevelop North Section of Mumbai Airport’s Terminal 1B
Mumbai— Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will begin the phased redevelopment of the North Section of Terminal 1B in January 2027, with safety concerns surrounding the nearly 60-year-old structure prompting the move, airport operator Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. said on Saturday.
The redevelopment will temporarily take around 5 million passengers a year, or about 9 per cent of the airport’s total annual traffic of nearly 55 million passengers, out of operation, the company said.
The North Section accounts for roughly one-third of Terminal 1’s capacity. The airport will continue to handle the remaining passenger traffic during the redevelopment, Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal said.
Airlines have been offered the option of temporarily shifting their operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport, which is also operated by the Adani airport group, as a way to minimise disruption during the phased redevelopment.
The project is expected to increase Terminal 1’s capacity by about 33 per cent, from the current 15 million passengers per annum to 20 million passengers per annum.
“Passenger safety must remain paramount,” Bansal said, adding that any further delay in beginning the redevelopment could affect the safety and convenience of travellers.
“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,” Bansal said.
“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,” he added.
The airport operator said concerns regarding Terminal 1 had been identified over several years and that temporary mitigation measures had been implemented because an alternative facility was not available.
It said a fire incident at Terminal 1 in April had further highlighted the risks associated with continuing operations at the facility.
Navi Mumbai International Airport is being positioned as an alternative for airlines affected by the phased redevelopment.
According to Adani Airport Holdings, Navi Mumbai Airport is offering a 100 per cent discount on landing fees for new international flights. It also plans to provide cash vouchers to international passengers to offset the difference in the User Development Fee (UDF) charged at Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airports.
Adani Airport Holdings said the redevelopment proposal had been discussed with airlines since 2020 and presented to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) before being incorporated into the approved tariff framework.
