Mumbai: Heavy showers yesterday caused the Juhu aerodrome to shut its operation for eight hours. The entire landing strip was flooded with water up to two feet, and no choppers were allowed to ply.
K S L. Narsimhan, joint general manager of the Juhu airport, said, “Due to waterlogging on the runway, I cannot permit operations to take place. Hence, the runway was shut and no operations were carried out from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm.”
Senior officials said that the water was later pumped out and normalcy in schedule resumed 3.30 pm onwards. The choppers are vital to the employees who work on oil rigs off the coast, as they transport them back to land after their shift is over.
The Juhu airport is used by helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft. Its secondary runway - 16/34 - handles 40 per cent of the load.
The Rotary Wing Society of India, a Delhi-based not-for-profit organisation working towards promoting civil and military helicopter industry in India, has written to the AAI (letter copy with mid-day), requesting it to improve the poor condition of the airport.
States the letter: ‘The entire airport, including the runway, is under 1-2 feet of water. Though the rains were not as heavy as normally experienced in Mumbai, this airport is already under deep water. Any more accumulation would have resulted in many helicopters going underwater.
17/07/14 Neha LM Tripathi/Mid Day
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K S L. Narsimhan, joint general manager of the Juhu airport, said, “Due to waterlogging on the runway, I cannot permit operations to take place. Hence, the runway was shut and no operations were carried out from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm.”
Senior officials said that the water was later pumped out and normalcy in schedule resumed 3.30 pm onwards. The choppers are vital to the employees who work on oil rigs off the coast, as they transport them back to land after their shift is over.
The Juhu airport is used by helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft. Its secondary runway - 16/34 - handles 40 per cent of the load.
The Rotary Wing Society of India, a Delhi-based not-for-profit organisation working towards promoting civil and military helicopter industry in India, has written to the AAI (letter copy with mid-day), requesting it to improve the poor condition of the airport.
States the letter: ‘The entire airport, including the runway, is under 1-2 feet of water. Though the rains were not as heavy as normally experienced in Mumbai, this airport is already under deep water. Any more accumulation would have resulted in many helicopters going underwater.
17/07/14 Neha LM Tripathi/Mid Day
