Projects near airports in city need global aviation body clearance: HC.

The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to refer to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) the case of three builders seeking an aeronautical survey to ascertain if the proposed height of their projects in the vicinity of the Mumbai Airport, Juhu Airport and Santacruz Airport would risk aircraft movement.

The High Court passed the order on petitions of three builders -Skylark Buildcon Pvt Ltd., Pilot Construction Pvt Ltd, Shreeniwas Cotton Pvt Ltd. Skylark and Pilot Constructions -who were to erect buildings as part of the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme.

The Bench said, “The respondents [Centre and AAI] shall, within two weeks from today, refer the matters of the petitioners herein to ICAO for conducting an aeronautical study in accordance with law to determine whether the additional height is permissible for the buildings being constructed by them.”

The Bench added, “the respondents are not justified in ignoring the request of the petitioners for referring their cases to ICAO for aeronautical study. Upon receipt of the report of the aeronautical study from ICAO, the appropriate decision with regard to permissibility of the additional heights as sought by the petitioners for construction of the Free Sale Buildings shall be taken by the respondents within four weeks thereafter.”

The Bench said the petitioners would bear the cost of the ICAO study. It also took note of a letter written by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to MoCA requesting for sending the matter to ICAO since the buildings were needed for rehabilitation of persons who would be displaced for work on the ambitious Sewri-Worli elevated corridor.

THE HINDU