Mumbai International Airport gets monsoon ready, completes runway maintenance work

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 12 (ANI): Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) successfully completed the runway repair and maintenance work today.

It is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, with over 950 air traffic movements per day.
The runway work started at 11.00 am today and after careful assessment and evaluation, both runways – RWY 14/32 & 09/27 are operational for all flight movements from 5.00 pm, a press release said.

To enable smooth functioning in monsoon, CSMIA temporarily closed its runway today between 1100hrs to 1700hrs for maintenance & repair work. CSMIA effectively carried out multiple runway inspections to be prepared for the adversities that come with Mumbai rains. Various pre-monsoon measures have also been implemented where waterlog-prone areas are identified and inspected, it said.

To mitigate any waterlogging, over 2000 drains and duct banks across the maze of runways were opened, checked, and cleaned.

“This ensures the integrity of cables, underground utilities, and the health of brilliantly lit aeronautical lighting systems essential for the navigation of aircraft. Additionally, associated activities of grass cutting, chamfering, milling, and filling were also performed at a brisk pace,” it added.

The runway maintenance work was undertaken in keeping with CSMIA’s continued endeavour to improve operational efficiency and reduce inconvenience to its passengers during monsoons.

The statement further stated that close to 5,000 aeronautical ground lights on runways and taxiways are serviced and checked, whilst 1,300 ground markings, which provide directional guidance to aircraft are removed and repainted.

“CSMIA’s Monsoon contingency plan has been put in place in coordination with internal and external stakeholders of the airport,” the statement further stated, adding that the CSMIA devised a contingency plan intending to respond and mitigate the possible inclement weather, ensuring business continuity, and assurance to all airlines and passengers that the airport functions round the clock.