Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will begin the phased demolition of Terminal 1 (T1) from January 15, 2027, as part of its redevelopment programme. Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates the airport, has started redistributing flight operations between Terminal 2 (T2) and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) to minimise disruption during the redevelopment.
Under the first phase, MIAL plans to demolish the North Section of Terminal 1-B, which currently caters to around 5 million passengers per annum (mppa). The decision to limit the initial demolition to this section is intended to ensure minimal impact on airline operations and passenger convenience while redevelopment work progresses.
As part of the transition plan, at least one-third of international air traffic movements at Mumbai airport will be shifted to Navi Mumbai International Airport from October 1, 2026. Subsequently, from October 25, at least one-third of the air traffic movements currently handled at T1 will be moved to T2. MIAL plans to provide airlines with around three-and-a-half months of transition assistance before demolition begins in January.
Mumbai airport currently has an overall passenger-handling capacity of more than 50 million passengers annually and handles over 950 flight movements a day. T1 has a capacity of around 15 million passengers, while T2 can handle approximately 40 million passengers annually.
The phased redevelopment is part of a broader plan to modernise Mumbai airport and increase its capacity to accommodate the city’s growing aviation demand. The strategy also depends on the expansion of Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will provide additional capacity and allow traffic to be redistributed while redevelopment work is undertaken at the existing airport.
The redevelopment is expected to transform the ageing T1 facility into a larger and more modern terminal, strengthening Mumbai’s aviation infrastructure and enabling the airport system to accommodate rising passenger traffic over the coming years.
