India

MSRTC Begins Dadar‑Navi Mumbai Airport Buses as Airlines Oppose Adani Shift

By Snehal Mutha

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik flagged off a Dadar–Navi Mumbai International Airport bus service on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, while airlines protested Adani Airports’ plan to move some international flights to Navi Mumbai. Sarnaik said the new service would link the airport with the state’s public transport network and that additional routes would be added as demand grows. MSRTC has launched routes via Atal Setu, and also from Borivali and Swargate. The Borivali route makes 10 stops and costs ₹210 for adults and ₹105 for children. The Dadar route makes 8 stops, charging ₹170 for adults and a half‑ticket for children. The Swargate route makes 22 stops, with fares of ₹455 for adults and ₹230 for children. National Common Mobility Card holders can continue to enjoy the same concessions that apply to 12‑metre E‑Shivai buses on these services.

The launch comes amid plans to redevelop Terminal 1 (T1) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai. Adani Airports has proposed shifting several international flights from CSMIA’s Terminal 2 (T2) to Navi Mumbai International Airport, allowing domestic flights currently operating from T1 to move to T2. The Union Civil Aviation Ministry paused the plan to cut 265 (33%) of T2’s weekly international departure slots from October after airlines objected. Airlines and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd will discuss the transition on 13 October and again on 20 October.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the move, saying Navi Mumbai is an additional airport, not a makeshift one, and urged the Union Minister for Civil Aviation to intervene on the T1 issue. On X, Thackeray demanded that CSMIA‑T1 be repaired, refurbished or rebuilt without forcing airlines and passengers to shift to Navi Mumbai, and warned that the forced shift could lead to a permanent move of operations.

Published – 8 October 2026 10:38 am IST