Study to make Patna airport safe begins

Patna: Jayaprakash Narayan International airport may soon cast off its "one of the most critical airports in the country" tag. Airports Authority of India (AAI) is exploring all possibilities for the purpose.
The feasibility of AAI's ambitious idea to tunnel-in the railway line adjacent to airport's runway, which poses critical threat to safe landing of aircrafts here as there is no room for emergency and even minor errors could cause the plane to ram into a train, is being explored.
Of late, a comprehensive study to create additional runway space for JPNI airport, spread over 260.81 acres, with a runway length of 7,500 feet, has already begun.
The main purpose of the study, which will be completed within three months, is to suggest ways to remove obstacles from the aircrafts' approach funnel. AAI has assigned the job to an infrastructure consultancy company, RITES Ltd, at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Experts have expeditiously begun the survey at Phulwari Sharif railway station.
Due to obstacles like trees and a 184-feet Secretariat tower on the eastern side of the airport and railway premises on the northwestern side, aircrafts are not able to use full length of the runway. Therefore, removal of obstacles is critical for rendering the airport safe.
While landing from eastern side, planes manage to use approximately about 5,600 feet runway length (runway 25), while they are able to use about 5,500 feet runway during landing from western side (runway 07).
18/06/11 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jun 2011, Safety Jun 2011