Mumbai International Airport Limited to begin phased redevelopment of Terminal 1B north section, with airlines offered temporary relocation to Navi Mumbai Airport

Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL)-operated Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) will begin redevelopment of the North Section of Terminal 1B at Mumbai International Airport (BOM), with safety concerns over the 60-year-old building prompting a phased approach.

Of Mumbai Airport’s approximately 55 million passengers per annum (mppa), around 5 mppa, or about 9 per cent, will be temporarily deoperationalised. AAHL has offered airlines the option to relocate their operations temporarily to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) at their discretion, and said it will support carriers through the transition.

Safety concerns behind the Terminal 1 redevelopment

Terminal 1 (T1) has long been identified as a safety concern, with only temporary mitigation measures put in place over the years because no viable alternative existed for passengers and airlines. Following a fire incident at the terminal in April this year, AAHL said the risks of continuing operations have become more pronounced.

Redevelopment of T1 will begin from January 2027. The North Section of Terminal 1B, which accounts for around one-third of T1’s capacity, will be demolished in Phase 1. Once complete, the programme will increase T1 capacity by 33 per cent, from the current 15 mppa to up to 20 mppa.

Arun Bansal, CEO of AAHL, said 91 per cent of Mumbai Airport’s passenger traffic will remain unaffected. “The transition to Navi Mumbai Airport is temporary and does not represent a permanent shift of Mumbai Airport traffic,” he said.

With Navi Mumbai Airport now operational, AAHL said the planned closure and phased demolition of T1 can no longer be deferred. Bansal said: “Its availability makes it possible to undertake the redevelopment of T1 of Mumbai Airport in phases, instead of shutting down the entire terminal and causing greater disruption to passengers and airlines.”

Bansal also said: “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.” He acknowledged concerns raised by certain airlines but said passenger safety must remain paramount.

Separately, Navi Mumbai Airport is offering a 100 per cent discount on landing fees for new international flights. It also plans to offer cash vouchers to international passengers to offset the difference in the User Development Fee (UDF) levied at Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airports.

AAHL described Mumbai Airport and Navi Mumbai Airport as complementary airports addressing the severely constrained aviation infrastructure requirements of India’s commercial capital region.