Aeronautical survey must before demolition of buildings near Ahmedabad airport: Gujarat HC
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Gujarat High Court has ruled that an aeronautical survey must be conducted before demolishing buildings allegedly exceeding the permissible height limit around Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.
The court said that if a structure located within the prescribed radius of the airport is suspected to be taller than the allowed limit, authorities must first determine through an aeronautical survey whether it poses a threat to aircraft safety.
The high court directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to carry out the survey at the expense of the petitioners and, for the time being, quashed demolition notices issued against allegedly hazardous structures in the airport vicinity.
The dispute relates to construction projects in areas including Hanspura, Naroda and Muthia near Ahmedabad airport. According to officials, the Ahmedabad Collector in 2022 found that certain buildings had exceeded the permissible height limit of 102.7 metres above sea level, with some structures reportedly reaching 107.58 metres.
Following this, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) ordered construction work to be halted and withheld building use permissions. Demolition notices were also issued for structures considered to be above the prescribed height norms.
Several developers, including Mahil Infrastructure, approached the high court challenging the action.
The petitioners argued that they had obtained development permissions and no-objection certificates in accordance with the Height Restrictions for Safeguarding of Aircraft Operations Rules framed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Under the rules, a height clearance NOC is mandatory for construction within a 20-km radius of an airport.
The developers contended that after objections were raised by civic authorities, they had sought an aeronautical survey from the AAI to determine whether the buildings posed any risk to aircraft operations. However, they alleged that authorities insisted the disputed portions be demolished before any survey was conducted.
