The decision to delay full demolition is driven by capacity constraints at Mumbai’s existing facilities. T1 handles about 10 million passengers annually, and officials say taking it offline before replacement capacity is available would risk recreating congestion and bottlenecks seen in recent years.

“If we shut down T1 before we have alternative capacity, we won’t be able to accommodate those passengers. Then we would face another four years of the same constraints we have been suffering for the past four-five years,” Bansal added.

NMIA’s first phase is designed to handle up to 20 million passengers annually and the second phase will expand the capacity to 50 million. Only once this second phase at NMIA is up, will T1 functions be fully absorbed, allowing demolition to proceed without impacting the total capacity.

T1’s eventual demolition is part of a broader redevelopment plan for the CSMIA site, which will enable the construction of new facilities enhancing passenger throughput and operational efficiency. However, project leaders cautioned that rebuilding T1 after demolition will involve years of work, including fit-outs, technology integration, testing, and approvals.

By phasing the demolition, officials said that they aim to maintain service quality for Mumbai air travellers during the transition to a dual-airport system.