Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), one of the world’s busiest single-runway airports, has started operating Taxiway M. This new airside infrastructure is a major step towards increasing the airport’s efficiency and making operations more flexible.
What is Taxiway M and why was it necessary?
At present CSMIA handles an average of more than 950 aircraft movements per day. Till now, only one parallel taxi track was available near the main runway 09/27, which posed challenges in maintenance and traffic management due to its continuous use.
Main features of Taxiway M
- It provides a continuous parallel approach with the main runway 09/27.
- With its introduction, the taxi time of planes will be reduced.
- There will be better flow of aircraft during peak hours, which will improve the on time performance (OTP) of the airlines.
Construction in record time despite challenges
The construction of this project was quite complicated because the building of ‘Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting’ was becoming an obstacle in its path. The airport administration shifted the ARFF facility and continued construction work without affecting emergency services.
- Construction period: Despite the challenges of monsoon, it was completed in about 240 days.
- Precise planning: Despite being surrounded by active runways and taxiways, it was launched on 25 December 2025 with DGCA approval and good coordination.
Benefits to the environment and passengers
The operation of Taxiway M will not only make traffic management easier, but it is also environment friendly.
- Fuel Saving: Planes will have to travel less distance to reach the runway, which will reduce fuel consumption.
- low emission: Carbon emissions will reduce due to shorter stay of planes on the ground.
- Better Capacity: Air traffic controllers (ATC) will now have more options to manage the queue and movement of aircraft. With Taxiway M, Mumbai Airport is now more capable of handling the existing traffic and meeting future needs.