Mumbai airport's old Terminal 1-A almost gone as redevelopment gathers pace

A public notice at Mumbai airport informing people about the ongoing demolition and redevelopment work at the old Terminal 1-A site

Nearly a decade after it was shut to passengers, Mumbai airport's historic Terminal 1-A has been almost completely demolished, marking the end of a structure that once handled flights operated by Air India and GoAir. The clearance of the old terminal paves the way for the redevelopment of Terminal 1, a key part of the city's future aviation infrastructure.

When mid-day visited the site on Tuesday, the building adjacent to the Taj Santacruz hotel had largely been levelled, with only debris removal work remaining. Demolition crews have now shifted focus to dismantling the elevated road and associated structures around the site.

mid-day was the first to report on November 7, 2025, that demolition work had begun after Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) secured the necessary No Objection Certificate from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Why Terminal 1-A mattered

The old domestic terminal formed part of the original Terminal 1 complex, which was divided into sections A, B and C. After Terminal 1-A closed, airport authorities began referring to Terminal 1-B simply as "Terminal 1" to avoid confusion. However, signboards along the Western Express Highway still carry references to Terminal 1-B, making them among the last visible reminders of the airport's earlier layout.

The elevated approach road linked to the old Terminal 1-A is being dismantled as part of the airport's redevelopment project

Authority speak

"MMRDA has granted the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the demolition of a portion of the existing Terminal 1A building and the associated elevated access road within the CSMIANA. MMRDA's role in this matter was limited to granting NOC after due consideration of the proposal submitted by the project proponent."

Contractor speak

The contractor said demolition is expected to be completed within the next three months, after which construction of the new Terminal 1 will begin. Another source close to the project said an issue involving approvals from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had briefly slowed redevelopment planning but has since been resolved.

Workers continue demolition at the former Terminal 1-A site as aircraft operate normally from Mumbai airport overhead. Pics/Madhulika Ram Kavattur

Contractor

‘We have almost completed the majority of the work, and we are not going to stop with the rain when it begins either. If anything, that would make our work easier in a way. So far, we are happy to say that no untoward incident happened at the site, and currently we are focusing on the demolition of the elevated road.'

At a glance

Terminal 1-A closed since: 2016
Demolition status: Nearly 80% complete

Structures being demolished:
>> Terminal 1-A building
>> Elevated road
>> Defunct chiller
>> Temporary sheds

Next phase:
>> Complete demolition within three months
>> Begin construction of new Terminal 1

Timeline

Pre-2005
Terminal 1-A primarily used by Indian Airlines (later Air India)

2005
Kingfisher Airlines begins operations from the terminal

Post-Kingfisher shutdown
Space allocated to GoAir

2016
>> Air India and GoAir shift operations to Terminal 2
>> Terminal 1-A ceases passenger operations

November 2025
Demolition work begins

June 2026
Structure almost completely demolished