Bldg obstacle survey was done after a decade by AAI

Surat: For about a decade, Airports Authority of India (AAI) had failed to carry out building height obstacle survey in the Diamond City. It was after officials learnt that high-rise buildings were obstructing the flight path of aircraft at Surat airport that the survey was carried out in 2017, sources said.

The last obstacle survey in the city was carried out in 2007. The obstacle survey needs to be carried out every two years as per the Aircraft Rule. The latest survey was carried out in 2017 where 18 projects were identified initially. Now more than 150 flats of high-rise buildings in Vesu area need to be demolished.

According to the minutes of meeting (MoM) held between AAI and Surat Municipal Corporation in March 2018, it was decided to carry out building-wise survey of all the 90 buildings to ensure accuracy of obstacle height.

M/s Raj Technologies was appointed to carry out survey of all the 90 buildings identified as obstacles and of other buildings and obstacles within 6.6 kilometre in the approach funnel of the runway at Vesu end of the airport.

The AAI has submitted the building obstacle details to DGCA as per rule 5 of Aircraft (demolition of obstructions caused by the buildings and tree, etc.) Rule, 1994.

Official sources said the buildings in 17 residential projects violated permissible top elevation and coordinates in the range of 12.36 metres to 0.56 metres in height.

“AAI neither holds any responsibility nor authenticates the correctness of the site elevation provided by realtors at the time of issuing of no-objection certificates (NOCs). It is clearly stated in the NOC that it will stand null and void and action will be taken as per law if coordinates and site elevation differ,” RTI activist Rajesh Modi said.

Jitu Shah, a resident of Seven Heaven apartment, one of the affected flat holders, said, “These high-rise buildings have come up after 2007. If the AAI is required to do survey every two years then why it did not do it. We are innocent and had purchased the flats on the basis of BUC and building plan approval given by the SMC.”

Shailesh Prajapati, another flat holder, said, “We blame the AAI and the developers for this mess. If our flats are demolished where will we go with our families and children?”