Mumbai Travel Alert: Airport to Remain Closed For 6 Hours Today, Here's Why

Those planning to travel to and from Mumbai may need to take note that flight operations on Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will be suspended on Thursday (October 17) for six hours. On Thursday, the airport authorities will keep flight operations suspended from 11 am to 5 pm. Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) has said that the flight operations will be stopped in order to carry out 'post-Monsson maintenance' work on the runways and elsewhere on the airport. The statement in this regard was issued last week.

"As a part of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) comprehensive post-monsoon runway maintenance plan, the cross runways -- RWY 09/27 and RWY 14/32 -- will be temporarily non-operational on October 17, 2024, from 11 am to 5 pm," said MIAL in a release published on Friday, October 4.

MIAL had said at the time that notice to airmen (NOTAM) about the maintenance work was issues six months prior and all stakeholders were intimated beforehand in order to adjust their operations so as to ensure travellers are not inconvenienced.

The main goal of the planned closure is to take up repair and maintenance work at the airport following battering from the rain for four continuous months.

Post-Monsoon repairs are undertaken each year to ensure that the airport functions so not get disrupted due to seasonal effect it suffers each year.

Mumbai is among the major metros in the country which get huge amount of rains each year. City residents often witness flooding which at times puts transport services out of gear. The rains affect air traffic as well.