Mumbai:
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport received a gift on Saturday - when a new terminal 1C was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel.
On the occasion, the minister said: "Within a short time-span, the Indian aviation industry changed drastically. We believe that in the next five years India would be among the top five aviation markets in the world."
Patel also focused on the development of Maharashtra's interstate connectivity through 20 airports. In addition, he called upon the state government to rethink its sales tax rate on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
The new domestic terminal will be thrown open to passengers on April 19 and will function as a link between the existing terminals, 1A and 1B.
"The opening of this terminal also marks a significant milestone for Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), a joint venture company owned by the GVK-led consortium and Airports Authority of India, as we are poised to meet the demands of the growing tourists and business traffic in and out of Mumbai," MIAL's Chairman, G V Krishna Reddy told reporters.
The GVK-led consortium holds a 74 per cent stake and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the balance 26 per cent. The airport has been designed with high spacious interiors with a seating capacity for around 900 passengers.
"The entry and exit points for the passengers will remain. However, once they have collected their boarding passes and are through with security checks, they will move towards the new terminal for boarding," a Mumbai airport official said.
Spread over 2,97,194 sq ft across three levels, Terminal 1C will increase the passenger handling capacity of the domestic terminals while enhancing the overall passenger comfort, he said.