Courtesy of GVK. The check-in hall at the integrated Terminal T2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

At least one non-Indian contributor to Raxa Collective remembers the Mumbai airport circa 1993, and many of our guests recall that old airport with something less than affection, so this news via India Ink is most welcome:

For anyone who has traveled through the shiny airport hubs of Asia like Hong Kong and Singapore, flying into Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai can deliver quite a shock.

Visitors to India’s financial capital are greeted by worn, faded carpets, never-ending immigration lines and baggage carousels that slowly spit out suitcases. Passengers often suffer delays in departing because of the unavailability of runways, and there is a lack of amenities, like Wi-Fi, while they are waiting.

For these reasons, the opening of the sleek new terminal at Mumbai’s international airport has been long awaited. On Friday evening, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided over the inauguration of Terminal 2. International operations will begin Wednesday, while domestic operations will be integrated with the terminal next year…

Read the whole story here.