RAW hangars near Delhi airport to be relocated

Hangars belonging to the Aviation Research Center (ARC) situated near the Delhi airport would be shifted to the more secure air force-controlled area of the airport. Tushar Srivastava reports.

Hangars belonging to the Aviation Research Center (ARC) situated near the Delhi airport would be shifted to the more secure air force-controlled area of the airport.

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The ARC is the air wing of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) - India's premier foreign intelligence agency. Sources said the hangars were being used by the agency to park its aircraft. The decision comes in the wake of the home ministry raising serious security concerns over the aerocity project, the hospitality district being developed by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), near the IGI airport. The aerocity consists of five-star hotels and a shopping mall.

While senior aviation ministry officials confirmed the move, they refused to divulge further details citing the "sensitive" nature of the development.

"Next to the boundary wall are ARC hangars and these buildings also overlook the funnel area of runway 28/10. It is a matter of serious concern from security and safety point of view to have commercial buildings of height of 30-35 metres in such proximity to the airport," a home ministry letter to the aviation ministry had said.

DIAL has maintained that the aerocity district is planned as per the original master plan developed in line with the operation, management and development agreement (signed with Airports Authority of India) guidelines and falls well outside the operational area of the IGI airport.