Mumbai airport cargo operations have come to a standstill following an agitation by loaders at the Air Cargo Complex, with the ACC Import Committee advising importers and exporters to make alternative arrangements until normal services resume.
In a notice issued on November 5, the committee informed its members that the protest had disrupted all cargo operations at the complex. The communication, signed by committee chairman Kaushal Thakker and Mukesh Makhija, asked businesses to plan their import and export cargo clearance activities accordingly.
The notice did not specify the reason for the loaders’ agitation. It also did not indicate when cargo handling and clearance services would resume. As a result, importers and exporters using the facility have been advised to account for the disruption while planning the movement and clearance of consignments.
The Air Cargo Complex is part of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s wider role as an import-export and logistics hub. The airport’s air cargo terminal handles more than 0.85 million metric tonnes of cargo annually, according to information cited in the report. A prolonged interruption could therefore affect the scheduling of cargo clearance activities for businesses dependent on the facility, although the notice did not quantify the volume of consignments currently affected.
The disruption comes ahead of a separate planned operational change at the airport. Mumbai International Airport Limited, which operates Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has announced that both runways will be temporarily shut for six hours on November 19 as part of the airport’s annual post-monsoon maintenance programme.
Runways 09/27 and 14/32 are scheduled to remain non-operational from 11 am to 5 pm Indian Standard Time. MIAL said the work would include detailed inspections, surface repairs and technical assessments of runway lighting, markings and drainage systems. The operator described the maintenance as part of its year-round programme for runway safety, reliability and compliance with global aviation standards.
MIAL said a Notice to Airmen had been issued in advance to allow airlines and other stakeholders to adjust flight schedules and plan manpower requirements. According to the airport operator, coordination with airlines and relevant stakeholders began six months before the scheduled closure, with the aim of synchronising operational requirements and minimising inconvenience to passengers.
The runway closure is a scheduled maintenance activity and is separate from the ongoing loaders’ agitation at the Air Cargo Complex. While the ACC committee has advised cargo users to plan for the current disruption, neither the committee notice nor the airport operator’s statement specified a timeline for the restoration of normal cargo operations. Further updates on the loaders’ protest and the resumption of cargo handling will determine how importers, exporters, airlines and logistics operators adjust their operations.
