Kolkata: The Airports Authority of India's (AAI) decision to slash the height of the proposed air traffic control tower at Kolkata airport by half has demoralised controllers who had been anticipating an iconic tower that would have been a pride of not just the aviation community, but the entire nation.
Initially proposed at 86 metre in 2008, taller than the one at Mumbai airport that stands at 83.8 metre but shorter than the 102-metre tower in Delhi, AAI had revised the tower height to 112 metre and put it on the cover of its inhouse magazine 'Airports India' dated February 2016. Both Delhi and Mumbai are privately operated airports.
However, when the tender was invited for the construction of the ATC tower and technical block at Kolkata airport in January, the height mentioned was pared down to half. "A new ATC tower of 57 metre has been proposed and the tender process has been initiated. The tower height had to be reduced on technical ground," AAI regional executive director Sanjay Jain said. The ATC tower of Edinburg in the UK is also 57 metre.
The decision has dismayed controllers, not just in Kolkata but elsewhere in India as well. On February 15, the ATC Guild (India) submitted a feasibility report for the tower to be revised to 112 metre, pointing out that it was very much possible to stick to the original plan without causing any safety hazard. It has also outlined concerns that the new stunted tower will become obsolete in a few years with the second phase of terminal expansion at Kolkata airport.
18/02/17 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India
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Initially proposed at 86 metre in 2008, taller than the one at Mumbai airport that stands at 83.8 metre but shorter than the 102-metre tower in Delhi, AAI had revised the tower height to 112 metre and put it on the cover of its inhouse magazine 'Airports India' dated February 2016. Both Delhi and Mumbai are privately operated airports.
However, when the tender was invited for the construction of the ATC tower and technical block at Kolkata airport in January, the height mentioned was pared down to half. "A new ATC tower of 57 metre has been proposed and the tender process has been initiated. The tower height had to be reduced on technical ground," AAI regional executive director Sanjay Jain said. The ATC tower of Edinburg in the UK is also 57 metre.
The decision has dismayed controllers, not just in Kolkata but elsewhere in India as well. On February 15, the ATC Guild (India) submitted a feasibility report for the tower to be revised to 112 metre, pointing out that it was very much possible to stick to the original plan without causing any safety hazard. It has also outlined concerns that the new stunted tower will become obsolete in a few years with the second phase of terminal expansion at Kolkata airport.
18/02/17 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India
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