The Mumbai International Airport, officially known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), notified on Friday that both of its runways will be closed on October 17 for post-monsoon repair and maintenance. The airport authorities stated in a statement that the repair work will take effect from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“On October 17, both runways—RWY 09/27 and RWY 14/32—will be temporarily non-operational as part of CSMIA’s comprehensive post-monsoon runaway maintenance plan.” This planned temporary closure is part of CSMIA’s yearly post-monsoon maintenance plan. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has also been issued six months in advance,” stated a CSMIA official in a statement.
According to the authorities, “the major goal of the anticipated temporary closure is to conduct necessary repair and maintenance activities to maintain the airport’s infrastructure to the highest standards”.
“This yearly practice of runway maintenance post-monsoons is part of a series of activities undertaken with precision and meticulous efforts to ensure operational continuity and passenger safety, thus bringing to life the vision of imbibing a passenger-first approach at the core of our operations,” it said.
“CSMIA, in collaboration with all key stakeholders, has effectively scheduled flights to ensure the smooth completion of the maintenance,” the statement continued. “CSMIA looks forward to passenger cooperation and support.”
This monsoon season, Mumbai experienced a significant quantity of rain, with the city occasionally experiencing waterlogging. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow notice for severe to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas of the city on Friday, while Mumbai is expected to receive mild to moderate rainfall beginning Saturday.
In the meantime, on September 14, eight people were injured, including the pilot and co-pilot, when a private plane went off the runway at Mumbai International Airport. According to officials, “the VSR Ventures Learjet 45 aircraft VT-DBL, which was flying from Vizag to Mumbai, experienced a runway excursion during landing due to bad visibility in the midst of heavy rain”.