The domestic arrival terminal 1B at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) just got a sleek new look. The terminal with its floating canopies which was inaugurated recently is the second redesigned section to be opened in Mumbai airport. The first being the departures section of the same terminal, which was opened in 2006 (both were designed by Hafeez Contractor). The arrivals section now spreads over 10,400 sq m, is wi-fi enabled and has five baggage belts and dedicated baggage facilities for each airline. The canopies ensure that passengers are shielded from sun and rain. Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) now plans to start work on terminal 1C (which will connect terminal 1A and 1B), and plans to finish the refurbishment of terminals 2B and 2C by March 2008.

 

It’s a much overdue makeover, given that Mumbai is India’s busiest airport with an expected traffic of nearly 25 million passengers in 2007-08 (the airport had 2.34 million passengers in December 2007 — the highest ever for an airport in India). New multi-level car parks, elevated access roads, and an integrated commercial centre are in the pipeline — all part of a larger plan to transform CSIA into a truly world-class airport.

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