CBRI to study Qutub tilt as flights cause concern

New Delhi: Qutub Minar will now come under intense scrutiny for keeping tabs on its `tili' level. After requests from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a team of experts from Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee will arrive in Delhi next month and conduct a periodical study of the 13th century monument to assess the tilt and ensure it has not aggravated.
The report of the last Qutub study by CBRI in 2005 said the tilt was in the range of 2.5cm to 4.7cm to the southwest side, but there was possible danger of further tilt due to the minar's location in a seismic zone.
Rising concern over the increasing number of planes flying over Qutub Minar and their close proximity to the structure had forced ASI to take up the matter with the civil aviation ministry. According to top sources, ASI had written to the ministry a few months ago asking them to ensure low-flying planes do not come close to the 72.5m-high monument.
According to ASI sources, it was worrying earlier as planes used to fly over the minar every two minutes. Sources said: "Ever since the new runway was inaugurated last September, Qutub Minar has been on the approach path and the frequency of planes flying over it had increased tremendously.''
29/09/09 Richi Verma/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Sep 2009