Mumbai: The secondary runway at Juhu airport may have got a fresh lease of life last month, but a delay in formal communication from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on the matter has left pilots and builders in a limbo.
While the runway's refurbishment is pending, buildings are mushrooming in the area due to a previous order that lifted the height restrictions.
After declaring that the secondary runway at Juhu airport will be closed and converted into a taxiway, AAI had, in June 2011, also relaxed building height norms in the areas around the runway. However, after repeated protests by pilots and agencies operating out of Juhu airport, the AAI reversed the decision in January and agreed to retain the runway for helicopter operations. But even a month down the line, no official communication has been sent by the AAI on the decision. According to officials, familiar with the development said that deferring the release of official orders is not only causing delay in runway renovation but also leaving the ground cleared for builders to continue construction in the area.
13/02/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India
