According to DGCA, Chennai leads in domestic flight punctuality in May, while Delhi and Mumbai are at the bottom of the list

Heavy rainfall and gusty winds disrupted flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Sunday. These weather conditions forced a temporary suspension of runway operations for approximately one hour.

Consequences of the Weather Conditions

As a result of the bad weather, four IndiGo flights were cancelled, and thirteen arriving aircraft from various airlines had to be diverted, sources reported. Later, all 13 diverted flights were able to safely return and land in Mumbai after the weather improved.

Delays and Impact on Passengers

The airport disruption caused widespread delays. According to the latest data from the Flightradar24 tracking website, about 90% of departing flights were delayed by an average of 65 minutes, and 45% of arriving flights were late, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

Airport Operational Information

Mumbai International Airport, jointly managed by Adani Group and Airports Authority of India (AAI), stated that adverse weather affected runway operations. The airport announced that around 10:17 AM, unfavorable conditions, including strong wind gusts up to 42 knots and reduced visibility due to heavy rain, impacted runway operations.

In accordance with standard safety protocols, runway operations were 'temporarily suspended' to ensure the safety of passengers, aircraft, and ground staff, clarified the airport operator. Normal runway operations resumed after about an hour once the weather improved.

Details of Cancelled Flights and Airline Reaction

According to sources, the cancelled IndiGo flights included flight 6E 395 from Delhi to Mumbai, 6E 5273 from Mumbai to Indore, 6E 552 from Indore to Mumbai, and 6E 6613 from Mumbai to Delhi. In response to the disruption, IndiGo stated that it is closely monitoring the developing weather situation. The airline posted a message on X stating: 'Bad weather over Delhi and Mumbai has affected flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather.... we ask you to stay updated on your flight status.'

However, the airline did not specifically mention the four cancelled flights in its statement. Sources in the air traffic control reported that Mumbai airport serves between 980 and 1000 flights daily, averaging about 48 aircraft movements per hour, of which 24 are arrivals and 24 are departures.

According to a report prepared by the analytical company PRICE in collaboration with Tata Sons, Bangalore, Chandigarh, and Delhi demonstrate the highest average income figures in India. Furthermore, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, and Vadodara lead in average household expenditure.

Overall Demand and Consumption

The six largest cities in the country—Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad—account for 46% of total consumption and constitute two-thirds of urban demand. Among these, Delhi NCR is the largest consumption base, reaching $126 billion, which is equivalent to the combined figures of Mumbai and Bangalore ($134 billion).

This significant consumption is driven by population size: NCR has 7.5 million households compared to 4.6 million in Mumbai. In terms of scale, NCR households spend over $33 billion annually on transport, exceeding the entire consumer market of Pune or Ahmedabad.

Income Dynamics in Cities

The 'Many Urban Indias' report by PRICE, compiled by Rajesh Shukla and Tata Sons, including Rupa Purushotham and Vishal Vaibhav, contains estimates for the 2025–2026 period. This data is based on microdata from households collected through four ICEO 360-degree surveys by PRICE between 2014 and 2023, supplemented by government survey data.

It was found that the top 100 cities in India, although representing less than one-fifth of the population, generate more than a third of the income and account for 31% of consumption. Cities are classified into categories: Big Six (over 10 million residents with an average annual income of 23 lakh rupees), Boomtowns (such as Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Surat, and Pune, with populations between 2.5 and 10 million and an average income of 17 lakh rupees), Breakout Cities (1.5–2.5 million residents and an annual income of 14 lakh rupees), and Frontier Cities (0.5–1.5 million residents and an average income of 12 lakh rupees).

Changing Income Structure

According to the report, the share of middle-income households (between 6 and 36 lakh rupees) has almost doubled over the last decade—from 29% to 53%, and is projected to reach 60% among the top 100 cities by 2030. Currently, Hyderabad has the highest share in this category.

Regarding high-income households (over 36 lakh rupees), their share has increased from 3% to 12% over the past ten years and is likely to approach 20% by 2030. The leaders in this segment are Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune, but cities like Raipur, Tuticorin, and Kannur are showing rapid growth not only in this group but also among middle-income households.

Furthermore, the report predicts the disappearance of low-income households by 2030, at least in the top 100 cities, as the share of those earning less than 1.5 lakh rupees will drop to 0.3%.