AAI can process realtors' pleas to raise building heights

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday allowed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to process the pleas of developers for increasing the height of buildings in the inner horizontal surface near airport runways. The court, however, also asked the authorities not to pass any final order till it decides the issue.

The division bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade passed this order while hearing a PIL filed by advocate Yeshwant Shenoy that has alleged a threat to the passenger safety due to illegal structures around the domestic and international airports. According to the petitioner, the AAI should not allow high-rise buildings in the vicinity of the airports in the interest of passenger safety.

The court has also asked the state government to conduct an aeronautical study to check the facilities of communication and navigation (between an aeroplane and the ATC).

According to Mr Shenoy, air safety in Mumbai has already been compromised. He said that all the authorities concerned should inform the court whether they are consenting for a study and consequently higher heights of buildings around the airport. The petitioner also said that he wants the ministry or any other authority to make a statement before the court that they could be held accountable in case of any untoward incident due to high-rises near airports.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation in the past had told the high court that more than a hundred buildings within a four-kilometre radius of the domestic and international airports in Mumbai have come up in violation of the aviation safety rules. It had also informed the court that the height of the buildings along the periphery of airports couldn’t be more than 56.9 metres.