On May 10th, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), one of India's busiest airports, will be closed for six hours. The airport's runways must be prepared for the considerable rains that Mumbai experiences every year as the monsoon season approaches.
Mumbai airport will close its runways from 11:00 to 17:00 on May 10th, in keeping with its annual tradition of pre-monsoon repairs and maintenance. "All operations will resume as usual post 17:00 hrs on the same day," according to a CSMIA official tweet.
Every year, in the months leading up to the monsoon, Mumbai airport prepares its runways for the significant rains that the city sees, especially from July onwards. A CSMIA spokesperson urged travellers flying in and out of Mumbai on that day to verify with their airlines regarding the schedule adjustment.
To manage flights and minimise passenger inconvenience, the airport has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) to all stakeholders.
As domestic travel in the country heats up, monsoon preparation is especially critical for Mumbai this year. In 2020-21, Mumbai airport was the most severely impacted of all major Indian airports. While passenger counts are still lower than they were pre-COVID, the airport had the greatest increase in 2021-22.
Since India opened its borders to scheduled international flights in March, CSMIA has seen consistent development in aviation traffic and passenger footfall. More than 600,000 travellers passed through the airport in the last month alone.
