For the convenience of the international passengers, suggestion has been put before the Maharashtra government to extend the metro line to the international airport terminal.

Mumbai International Airport Limited, the private organisation managing the city's airport, has made this suggestion recently to the state government at a national facilitation meeting.

"MIAL has asked for the extended metro link to both the terminals of the airport. The State Government will discuss the matter and then take decision on it," Secretary (Special Projects) Sanjay Ubale told PTI.

The original plan for the first metro rail line from the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar to the western suburb of  Andheri had a suggested link to the airport but it was later done away with, he said.

Most of the international airports in developed countries have a metro link to the near by cities. However, the only public modes of transport available are buses, taxis and autorickshaws with no mass rapid transport system available.

Speaking about the suggestion, MIAL spokesperson said it was made to make easy transportation for the commuters. As MIAL is developing international airport, the modes of connectivity to it are also important, he said.

Apart from the proposed metro link, the state government has already sanctioned a 1.8 km long six-lane wide elevated road to the international terminal from the Western Express Highway. 

The airport is located in the middle of the city. It has got road connectivity through buses and taxies. Only direct rail connectivity is missing. So MIAL has suggested to extend the nearest metro line to the airport terminal, he said.

There is also a proposal for Delhi airport to connect it through metro rail, he added.

The proposed metro links for the city in the first phase are from Versova to Ghatkopar, and Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd as east-west suburban corridors and Colaba to Bandra as a north south corridor.