Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will increasing its daily count by 100% and handle 200 daily flights, 100 departure and 100 arrivals from 1 September 2020.
The move will ease traffic pressure on the country’s second-largest airport, by passenger count, as the state gradually withdraws travel restrictions put in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry had earlier asked the Maharashtra state government to increase flights out of Mumbai, which was restricted to 100 daily flights, 50 arrivals, and 50 departures.
“In response to your letter dated 10.07.20, the government of Maharashtra has agreed to double the movement of aircraft into Mumbai airport. The recommendations of 100 arrivals and 100 departures on a daily basis may be made operational from September 1st onwards,” a letter from the government dated 31 August said, which was in response to the union civil aviation secretary’s mail.
The airport in Mumbai has set a new record by handling 1,003 flight movements during a day, making it the second busiest airport in the country after Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
In comparison, the Delhi airport, India’s largest in passenger terms, handles over 65 million passengers and about 1,300 flights daily.
The Mumbai airport is operated by the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), a venture between GVK Group, state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI), and other minority shareholders.
At present, the GVK Group owns a majority 50.5% stake in MIAL while AAI has 26%. The remaining 23.5% are with the two foreign partners, Bidvest and Airports Company of South Africa.
On Monday, the Adani Enterprise said that it’s airport company, Adani Airports will acquire controlling interest in Mumbai Airport from the GVK Group, excluding acquiring the stakes of foreign partners in the airline venture.
(Source: Mint)
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