Crash sparks fear among residents near city airport

Ranchi: Following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, residents living near the Birsa Munda International Airport in Ranchi have raised concerns about the proximity of tall buildings and trees to the airport, fearing they could create potential risks to flight operations. Airport authorities, however, said no threats were posed by the tall structures, so far.The Ranchi airport, located in the dense Hinoo locality, serves as a crucial transportation hub for the region. With increasing air traffic, the safety of flight operations has become a priority and the area near the airport is not only densely populated but also features many multi-storey buildings, markets, hotels, shopping malls and various other business establishments.According to the residents, their concerns are not only about the tall structures but also the presence of birds in the surrounding areas of the airport. On June 2, an IndiGo flight en route to Ranchi from Patna was forced to make an emergency landing at the city airport, after a vulture hit it. The nose of the Airbus A320 suffered damage after the incident.When TOI visited the airport and its surrounding areas on Friday, several high-rise buildings, up to seven storeys were spotted, just around 500 metres away from the guard wall of the airport's runway. While many buildings have already been built, many are also being constructed."After the Ahmedabad incident, we got scared as we are living very close to the airport. The visuals of how the plane crashed over the hostel in Ahmedabad are still haunting us. In recent years, many multi-storey buildings have been constructed in the surrounding areas of the airport. I doubt the buildings are built following the prescribed norms," a resident, Sanjay Shah, told TOI.Vivek Singh, a shop owner near the airport, said, "There are many tall trees near the airport, which might create a hindrance to flight operations. However, the airport authorities regularly conduct safety measures, such as tree trimming, to mitigate any untoward incidents. Just last year, the branches of the tall trees were trimmed by the authorities."However, Ranchi airport director R R Mourya said the buildings constructed in the surrounding areas do not cause any hindrance to flight operations at the airport."If highrises are present on either side of the runway, that doesn't create any hindrance as long as approach and landing routes are free. At the Ranchi airport, some highrises are there, but the runway is free from such hindrances. Obstruction lights are also installed atop the buildings near the airport," he said.Mourya further said, "As far as bird–hitting incidents are concerned, airport authorities regularly deploy bird chasers and zon guns to prevent birds from hovering around the airport, producing different sounds and firecrackers." The director added that the slaughtering of animals near the Ranchi airport is also banned under the law.