BIA runway may be on course

New Delhi: After holding meetings with the parties concerned as directed by the Union cabinet secretary, the DGCA has concluded that the BIAL should be allowed to construct the second runway, as planned, to the south of the existing runway and observed that both the BIAL and the Flying Training School of the Indian Air Force at Yelahanka can “co-exist”.
A final decision in this regard is to be taken by the cabinet secretary.
The IAF had raised safety concerns if the second runway goes as planned, as it said the lateral separation between the existing runway at BIA and the nearby Flying Training School at Yelahanka would be too close for comfort.
The meetings were convened following objections from the IAF which demanded that the second runway be constructed either to the north or the east of the present runway as it restricted the flight operations its trainee pilots.
The DGCA, in its report submitted last month, has upheld the contentions of the BIAL and Karnataka government. The airport operator had asserted that it cannot change the alignment now as the master plan including the second runway, was given a no-objection certificate by the defence ministry itself in 2004. The State government had conducted a survey of the land to the eastern and northern side and found that they cannot be acquired as the area contained reserve forests and water bodies.
06/07/08 Deccan Herald

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Categories: Airports Jul 2008