Illegal buildings near Aurangabad airport pose threat to flights

AURANGABAD: The safety and security of flights landing and taking off from Aurangabad airport is being jeopardised as a number of unauthorised structures are mushrooming in the premises, some even without getting a clearance from airport authorities.

Having structures beyond the permissible height in the periphery of airports directly affects the communication, navigation and surveillance of aeroplanes.

Airport authorities have squarely blamed the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) as well as the district collectorate for failing to act on the illegal structures, despite repeated notices.

Height restrictions for structures around airports are aimed at facilitating navigation and keeping the paths for landing and taking-off clear. In a notification dated January 14, 2010, the ministry of civil aviation has made it mandatory for all the vertical structures in the specified radius of the airport to procure height certificate.

However, in Aurangabad, hardly any of the structures have obtained the certificate. The height of the structures is calculated as per the norms specified by the International Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which is the governing body for civil aviation across the globe.

Director of Aurangabad airport D G Salve told TOI, “As many as 70 buildings, 150 trees, water tanks and mobile towers around the airport are in direct violation of the ICAO’s safety norms. We have issued repeated notices to the violators, and also asked the municipal commissioner and the district collector to take action, but in vain.”

When visibility is less, pilots have to take the flight to lower heights before landing. The presence of structures violating ICAO’s height norms increases the chances of accidents. Airport officials alleged that buildings were being sanctioned and approved without the approval and clearance of the airport authorities.

On paying a spot visit, it appears that unauthorised structures have cropped up very next to the airport’s boundary wall. Sources claim that even a government building, which has come up near the airport, does not have clearance from airport authorities.

As per the ICAO norms, there are three zones (radius) that have different permissible height limits for each structure, depending on its distance from the Aerodrome Reference Point (ARP).

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Former deputy general manager M R Chanam, who has served the DGCA for over three decades, said, “As per the DGCA norms, the airport authorities along with the local developing/civic authorities should together inspect the site before granting a no-objection certificate to the structures being constructed around the airport.”

When contacted, district collector Uday Choudhari said, “The matter is with the municipal corporation. To my knowledge, they have issued notices.”

When contacted, civic chief Nipun Vinayak said he was on leave. Deputy commissioner (anti-encroachment) Ravindra Nikam said, “There are some issues. We are working on it. The areas, where illegal structures have cropped up, fall in the jurisdiction of the civic administration as well as Cidco. If the NOCs are being granted without taking the clerance from the airport authority, the town planning department should be questioned about it.”

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