Airlines rubbish AAI’s NOC for Metro Rail

Chennai: It is a project that was approved in 2008 to offer Metro Rail connectivity to the city airport. Unfortunately, it is still struggling to see the light of the day. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL)officials are at their wits end with airline representatives rubbishing the latest no-objection certificate (NOC) the Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued to CMRL allowing them to construct the structure up to the level of the existing perimeter wall of the Chennai Airport.
At a safety assessment meet of the project in March, airline companies objected to the height of 3.5 metres of the Metro Rail as it would be level with the existing perimeter wall of the airport.
An aviation expert who was present at the meeting, told Express, “ICAO annexure clearly states that ‘Fixed objects shall not be permitted above the inner approach surface, the inner transitional surface or the balked landing surface, except for frangible objects which due to their function, must be located on the strip. Mobile objects shall not be permitted above these during the use of runway for landing.’ Airport and CMRL officials were stumped when they were told that the train has to stop every time an aircraft takes off or lands as per the rule.”
CMRL officials tried to brush it aside, claiming that the AAI had factored in all these safety aspects before issuing the NOC. But airline representatives and pilots present at the meet said that the NOC was not valid if this rule was taken into account. Moreover, AAI officials present there could not offer any counter explanations.
05/04/11 Mamta Todi/ExpressBuzz

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Categories: Airports Apr 2011, Indian Aviation- In General Apr 2011