Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister to object to the relocation of international services.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has opposed the proposed shift of international flights from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), according to reports by The Economic Times and India TV.
Fadnavis has written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister to object to a plan by the airport operator to move services connecting Mumbai with 14 international destinations from next summer. The Chief Minister stated that no flights should be moved out of Mumbai and that both airports should continue to operate according to their respective capacities.
The Chief Minister proposed an alternative redevelopment plan for Terminal 1. He suggested that Terminal 1B should be developed first, after which operations from Terminal 1A should be shifted to 1B before the existing 1A terminal is demolished.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had informed the aviation ministry of plans to move flights to 14 destinations, including Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, Muscat, and Riyadh, to NMIA. While MIAL initially planned the shift for October 25, the deadline was deferred to March 2027 following objections from foreign airlines.
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) is the majority stakeholder in the Mumbai airport, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) holding a 26 per cent stake. Adani Airports CEO Arun Bansal said international airlines have the choice to either shift operations to NMIA or temporarily suspend services during the redevelopment.
The existing 15-mppa Terminal 1 is scheduled to be completely demolished by March 2028, with the new terminal expected to be ready by December 2030.
