NAGPUR: As many as 63 buildings around the airport stand as hurdles to the flight path. Earlier, 68 structures posed obstructions. Of these, five were removed but the rest remain, says a reply to a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Hurdles also mean blocking the communication signals, said sources in the airport.
RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar had asked six questions to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which routed the answers through Mihan India Limited (MIL) — the airport operator at Nagpur.
MIL’s reply states that 68 hurdles were marked out of which five have been removed so far. Kolarkar had also asked in how many cases a notice was served but the hurdles weren’t removed yet. MIL has replied 63 building owners did not remove obstructing structures. TOI has a copy of the RTI reply.
Being marked as hurdles does not mean that the entire building needs to be demolished. There is a colour-coded map that marks the area under different zones. There is a certain height restriction in the red zone. The zones are marked in coordination with the AAI. The limit for each building is calculated based on a formula taking its coordinates into account. At times, there is a structure like a water tank, an additional room, or even a wall built on the top that violates height restrictions. Compliance can be achieved if such minor structures are removed. However, if an entire floor exceeds the height, it has to be demolished completely, said the source.Buildings above a certain height in the pathway obstruct the communication from the ground. The aircraft follow a certain path before finally landing at the airport. The planes have to remain in contact with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) until then. However, there is a chance of communication going blank briefly due to obstruction caused by the buildings, explained a source. The height needs to be restricted because the aircraft fly at a lower altitude during descent.
A senior official in MIL said the list of obstructions has been sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Kolarkar had also sought information on the number of builders that have applied for a no-objection certificate, clearances granted, and how many got approval to construct structures with more than 15 floors. To this, MIL replied that it comes under the AAI’s jurisdiction, and the question should be put up before the AAI. Kolarkar told TOI that he had put up the query before AAI and not MIL. However, the reply came from MIL.
Kolarkar had also sought information on the amount spent on maintenance, repairs and management. To this MIL again said the matter comes under AAI. The latter simply stated nil against the question.
