Construction banned in 10 km radius of Noida international airport

The move comes after officials realised that rampant illegal construction in the vicinity of the airport can hamper operations at the new airport

GREATER NOIDA: The Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) and the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has banned construction in a 10km radius of the Noida international airport. According to a new directive, no construction can take place without a proper no objection certificate (NOC) from the administrative department, officials aware of the matter, said.

To protect the airspace, officials were told to strictly control activities involving laser emitters and drones in the vicinity of the airport. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Archives)

The move comes after officials realised that rampant illegal construction in the vicinity of the airport can hamper operations at the new airport.

A key meeting of the Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC) for Noida International Airport was held on Wednesday, in which officials from the district administration, the airport concessionaire YIAPL (Yamuna International Airport Private Limited), and representatives from various related departments participated to plan measures for enhancing environmental safety and operational security in and around the upcoming airport.

During the meeting, Noida International Airport COO Kiran Jain highlighted potential risks to aircraft operations within a 10km radius of the airport. Jain said that the presence of birds, stray animals and illegal constructions can pose threats to flight safety.

“To mitigate these risks, YIAPL proposed several measures, including identifying and acting against buildings constructed without mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs), regulating new construction activities, conducting joint surveys with the local administration, and establishing an obstacle control committee to monitor and remove any physical obstructions that might endanger air traffic,” said Shailendra Bhatia, nodal officer of the Noida International Airport Limited.

To protect the airspace, officials were told to strictly control activities involving laser emitters and drones in the vicinity of the airport. The District Magistrate highlighted that these activities should not take place near the airport without prior clearance.

Officials were further instructed to conduct monthly inspections alongside AEMC members, share updated information regularly, and submit detailed progress reports to ensure effective implementation of safety and environmental measures.