Mumbai, Oct 12 (IANS): The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will resume operations at domestic terminal T1 with 70 flights from October 13, an official said here on Tuesday.

Flights of various private airlines will now be operated from T1, starting with Go First's maiden flight departing for Chennai at 5.50 a.m. on Wednesday and the first incoming flight from Chennai to Mumbai at 7.20 a.m.

Air Asia will resume its flights from T1 from Saturday (October 16) and other carriers will follow suit, with services to 20 destinations, gradually increasing to 36 by the month-end.

Barring a brief period, the T1 has virtually remained shut for operations during the pandemic months and the series of lockdown with all services shifted to T2.

The CSMIA had planned to reopen T1 from October 20. However, considering the huge rush in recent weeks with a sharp increase in passenger traffic and flights, it advanced the resumption of operations to October 13.

At the T1, it has made all arrangements to follow Covid-19 protocols and set up express 30-minutes RT-PCR test centres for the benefit of passengers, besides other safety and security measures.