MUMBAI: Residents and activists have raised an alarm over a letter issued by the Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt Limited (NMIAL) seeking to know the height and other details of buildings which are close to the airport site.
The NMIAL has sought the details quoting the ministry of civil aviation notification on height restrictions within a 20 km radius of any aerodrome.
The NMIAL conducted an aeronautical survey last year and found that some buildings were in violation of the height restrictions.
The development has got many residents and societies worried, as they are wondering if action can be taken against any building or tower if its height is beyond the permissible limit.
Residents are also asking why the NMIAL cannot go directly to the NMMC or Cidco if it wants to get the precise height information.
Municipal commissioner Kailas Shinde said at present no resident or housing society had approached the NMMC with a concern about the NMIAL letter. “Currently only a study or survey is being done, and there is no directive for any action or otherwise,” Shinde said.
In the case of a tower in Seawoods, Nerul, the NMIAL letter sought details such as the top height of the constructed building, date of commencement and completion, sanctioned building plan, copy of the occupancy certificate, World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) coordinates (denoting positions on the earth using latitude, longitude, and ellipsoidal height), copy of no objection certificate from the Airports Authority of India, and any other relevant information.
While some people raised concerns, Alert Citizens Team convenor and activist B N Kumar wondered why NMIAL had created tension among people with such letters.
He drew the attention of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Cidco, which had issued the occupancy certificates, to the letter and wondered why the NMIAL was approaching the residents directly.
Kumar said that Cidco, which is in-charge of the airport project, was celebrating when the Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) was shifted to Dhakale island in Belapur from near DPS school in Nerul. This move was supposed to have eased all height restrictions of 55 metres, thus facilitating construction beyond 16 floors.
The then Cidco managing director Dr Sanjay Mukherjee had even described the AAI decision to shift the ASR as a citizen-friendly move which would pave the way for smooth completion of the airport and development of not only the Navi Mumbai but the entire MMR, said Kumar.
“The NMIAL missive is nothing but citizen-unfriendly,” the activist said.
Former standing committee chairperson Netra Shirke has taken up the issue with MLA Ganesh Naik and the civic body.
Shirke said the NMIAL could have checked the building records with the NMMC instead of harassing the residents. The buildings in question came up long before even the airport project was conceived.
A spokesperson of NMIAL said that according to Rule 3 of The Aircraft Rules 1994 (Service of Notification on the owner and submission of report regarding violation), NMIAL has served notices to the owners and occupants of identified building infringements to furnish details.
“This is a regular procedure that any greenfield airport undergoes in a bid to secure an aerodrome licence,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that under Gazette notification the NMIAL had been designated as the airport operator for NMIA.
“Therefore, Cidco has asked NMIAL to send the notices to the owners of the structures, under Rule 3 of the Aircraft Rules 1994, as mentioned above. Post receiving the required details furnished by the owners/occupants, NMIAL will conduct the physical verification and will inform the respective owners/occupants to take the necessary corrective action.,” the spokesperson said.
Subsequently, the NMIAL will also submit the physical verification report to the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA).
The building owners will be given an opportunity to be heard so that the building in question does not violate the provisions of the notification issued by the Centre and DGCA, said the NMIAL spokesperson.
