Chhatrapati Shivaji International AirportMumbai, India
 In just three years, the once developing nation of India is on pace to surpass China as the fastest growing economy in the world. The city of Mumbai is at the center of this unprecedented economic boom. With nearly 19 million residents and growing, it is the second-most populated city on the planet and the economic engine of India. In the last 15 years, this thriving metropolis has become one of the world's top 10 trade centers. But there's a growing problem: getting here. The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai handles nearly 25 million passengers a year, which makes it India's busiest airport. But it also holds a more dubious distinction as the world's most delayed airport. Only half of the flights arrive on time, costing this country billions every year. The country of India has launched one of its most ambitious undertakings ever: the $2 billion Mumbai Airport Expansion project. This massive redesign features a state-of-the-art terminal, 12,500 feet of renovated runways and a direct link to the city's public transit. Because the current airport is the only one in the city, engineers have the unprecedented task of erecting the largest airport in Asia right on top of an active one with more than 500 flights a day. If they succeed, Mumbai will be able to further claim its place as a world leader in the global economy, and in the process, change the way airports are designed. In the team's first trip to India, Danny Forster and Build It Bigger receive behind-the-scenes access to some of the most critical stages of construction. |
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