HC tells Delhi airport operator, DGCA to identify obstacles in flight path

The bench also said that there is no need to issue directions on it as the DGCA, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) were “conscious of their duty to ensure security” at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI).

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and DIAL, the Delhi airport operator, to carry out a survey of obstacles around the Delhi airport and remove them.

New Delhi, India - May 8, 2019: Employees of Airports Authority of India work inside the Air Traffic Control room (ATC), at Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi. On Thursday, the court was informed by the DGCA and DIAL that a survey had been carried out in 2017 and 380 buildings were identified as obstacles. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice C Hari Shankar asked the authorities to identify buildings which act as obstacles to the flight path of aircraft around the aerodrome while disposing off a plea by a Kerala-based lawyer Yeshwanth Shenoy. The petition had claimed that high rises, especially hotels, near the international airport was a major threat to security and safety of the aircraft flying over it.

“It appears that respondents are working to identify the obstacles. Identification is a continuous phenomena. When an obstacle is identified, it is expected of the respondents to remove the same in accordance with the law, rules, regulations, government policy, as may be applicable in the facts of a case, and after giving adequate opportunity of hearing,” the court remarked.

“One or two lapses in security here or there cannot be reason enough for this court to give guidance to the respondents for more security at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport,” the court said, adding that the petitioner had “made general and vague allegations”, was based on “assumptions and presumptions”.

On Thursday, the court was informed by the DGCA and DIAL that a survey had been carried out in 2017 and 380 buildings were identified as obstacles. The aviation regulator also told the bench that notices have already been issued to the owners of those buildings.

It also said that in 69 cases the height of the structure was brought within the permissible limit of 50 metres. In the remaining instances people were being heard and a decision would be taken thereafter, the court was told.