New T2 opens at Mumbai Airport
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Mumbai’s brand new airport terminal was opened on Friday.
India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, inaugurated the new Terminal 2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) on 10 January 2014, expanding the airport’s capacity to more than 40 million passengers per year.
The ne
w terminal has four storeys and covers a total area of almost 409,000m². It will operate 24 hours a day, combining both international and domestic passenger services under one roof.
“The new Terminal 2 at CSIA is a monument to the beautiful spirit of Mumbai and its people,” said GV Sanjay Reddy, managing director of Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).
“This terminal will make CSIA a gateway to the city of Mumbai and India with international and domestic passengers. We are happy to work with SOM, who helped us translate our dream and vision into reality.”
Constructed in an X shape, the new T2 is designed to consolidate airport operations and reduce walking distances for passengers. Three symmetrical concourses fan out from a central area, theoretically making it easier for passengers to transfer between domestic and international flights.
The design was inspired by traditional Indian pavilions, including ‘jali’ patterned window screens.
At the entrance to the terminal, wide drop-off curbs will offer “space for traditional Indian departure ceremonies”, according to the airport, while a large roof covers the entire arrivals roadway, protecting passengers from Mumbai’s heat and monsoon weather. A 15-metre-high glass cable-stayed wall – the longest in the world – offers a transparent facade to the departure hall.
Past the main check-in hall are large retail and dining areas, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing passengers to watch aircraft take-off.
Terminal 2 also uses a special type of glass that filters the sun’s rays and controls the balance of natural light throughout the day. Skylights placed above the check-in hall will also reduce the terminal’s energy consumption by 23%.
CSIA handled 30.7 million passengers in 2012.
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