Mumbai, November 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation not to shift any international flights from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, insisting that both airports should operate independently at their respective full capacities.
In a letter to the ministry, Fadnavis opposed a proposal by Mumbai Airport’s operator to shift around 33 per cent of international operations, comprising approximately 265 flights, to Navi Mumbai Airport from the Summer 2027 schedule. The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that the communication had been sent to the ministry.
The proposed transfer was intended to facilitate the demolition and reconstruction of Mumbai Airport’s ageing Terminal 1, which currently handles around 15 million passengers annually and requires major structural redevelopment.
The airport operator had proposed shifting services to 14 international destinations, including Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat and Riyadh. While domestic airlines initially opposed the move, IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air subsequently agreed to relocate services to Navi Mumbai. Foreign airlines, however, continue to oppose the proposed shift.
Fadnavis argued that shutting down Terminal 1 entirely would severely disrupt flight operations for three years or more. He instead proposed a phased redevelopment plan to ensure that passenger services continue without requiring airlines to move their operations out of Mumbai.
Under his proposed plan, the new Terminal 1B would first be constructed. In the second phase, operations from the existing Terminal 1A would be shifted to the new facility. The old Terminal 1A would then be demolished and redeveloped in the third phase.
The Chief Minister maintained that the phased approach would allow passenger facilities to remain operational while redevelopment work progresses, without compromising safety or disrupting airline operations.
He reiterated that Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports should function as independent facilities, with neither airport’s international operations being diverted to the other.
FOLLOW NOW
