Mumbai airport unsafe: Over 2 million 'passengers' at risk

A senior Aviation Authority of India official has made a shocking revelation. Over 2 million passengers use the airport daily. Slums occupy around one-third of the airport land.

A report submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a senior officer heading aviation safety in the Aviation Authority of India (AAI) has made a shocking revelation that the second busiest airport in the country is allegedly the most unsafe for passengers.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport handles a daily traffic of over 2 million passengers and has more than 780 aircraft movements per day. But the report filed by S Mangala, deputy general manager of air safety (AAI) has claimed that Mumbai airport (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport) and Juhu aerodrome is “unsafe for operations” The New Indian Express reported.

“As the designated safety manager, I hereby recommend the temporary closure of at least runway 9/27 of CSIA, Mumbai. There is a complete breakdown in safety standards at CSIA and Juhu airports and it has rendered operations at both these airports to unsafe levels.”

The Mumbai airport has one main runway and three other secondary runways. Slums occupy around one-third of the airport land.

“The unwillingness of the authorities to act in accordance with air regulations could be catastrophic in case of any eventuality because the number of ground casualties could be far more than that of passengers and crew put together," report published in TNIE emphasises.

According to Mumbai Mirror, the report dated October 18, also has been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.