Mumbai Airport Terminal 1 to Shut by October End for Redevelopment
Terminal 1 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Santacruz East is set to shut down by the end of October as part of an extensive redevelopment project. The closure will trigger a phased redistribution of flight operations between Terminal 2 in Sahar and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, ahead of the planned demolition of the north section of Terminal 1-B on January 15, 2027.
The operational shift was outlined in an August 13 letter from Mumbai International Airport Ltd Chief Airport Officer Vishnu Mohan Jha to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha. Under the phased plan, at least one-third of all international air traffic movements will shift to the Navi Mumbai airport from October 1, followed by the transfer of at least one-third of Terminal 1's air traffic movements to Terminal 2 starting October 25. The airport operator stated it will provide transition assistance to airlines for roughly three-and-a-half months before demolition begins.
The nearly 80-year-old Terminal 1 currently handles 15 million passengers annually, while Terminal 2 handles 40 million. Under the redistribution, flights accounting for approximately 10 million passengers will move to Navi Mumbai by the end of October. The remaining five million passengers will be accommodated at Terminal 2, expanding its handling capacity from 40 million to 45 million passengers. Akasa Air has already shifted its domestic operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 as of August 1.
The transition will significantly alter travel routes across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Passengers reassigned to Navi Mumbai will need to navigate longer road journeys, which could increase commuting expenses and add vehicular pressure on regional arterial roads, especially during peak hours. To address potential disruption, the operator has requested the civil aviation ministry to form a joint transition group chaired by the civil aviation secretary to coordinate among stakeholders.
At the same time, the redistribution is expected to ease runway congestion at Mumbai airport, where all flights share a single operational runway. Moving commercial and general aviation flights to Navi Mumbai is expected to reduce holding times in the air and pushback delays on the ground, improving flight punctuality.
Navi Mumbai airport's Terminal 1 has a declared capacity of 20 million passengers per annum, or roughly 55,000 flyers daily, and is projected to reach saturation by mid-2026. Its Terminal 2, designed for 30 million passengers annually, is slated for completion by 2029.
