Latest news with #BharatiyaVayuyanAdhiniyam
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Illegal' market complex along flight path yet to be razed: Officials
Bhubaneswar: An unauthorised two-storey market complex in Jagamara, which falls along the approach path of flights at Biju Patnaik International Airport, is yet to be demolished despite repeated reminders to the civic authorities, BPIA officials said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Tall trees around the area are also posing as obstructions during aircraft landing. Officials said getting a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the airport authorities is mandatory to get approval of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation for any construction. But in the case of the complex, no NOC was obtained, they said. "We flagged our concerns several times before the city authorities. They have so far cut three coconut trees. But the two-storey building is completely illegal," said airport director Prasanna Pradhan. He further said the airport is not empowered to serve notice and order demolition as per existing rules, and it is the mandate of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), and in some cases, the general administration department. "The Centre issued draft rules to regulate and remove obstructions such as buildings and trees that interfere with aircraft. The draft Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 2025, were released under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024. It was in the public domain for 21 days for feedback. It is likely to be passed in Parliament very soon, after which airport authorities will be empowered to remove obstructions. This will reduce the cumbersome process of moving multiple agencies," Pradhan added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC) pointed out the obstructions and safety issues. The BMC commissioner chairs the AEMC meeting. BPIA authorities recently surveyed the area jointly with officials of BMC, BDA, general administration department, and police. "There should not be any infringement on the approach light and obstacle-free zone (OFZ) of the airport," an airport official said. "After cutting the coconut trees, other tall trees along the airport's approach path will be felled," said BMC commissioner Rajesh Patil. "We are taking steps to remove more obstructions. The building owners will also be served a notice," he added. During landing and takeoff, birds flutter from trees as high as to hit an aircraft nose, fuselage, windshield and engine, which can pose potential danger to flights and may end in a crash, airport officials said.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Air India crash report expected soon: Govt's new demolition rules to target buildings & trees near airports; details here
With the Air India crash investigation report expected soon, attention has turned to the government's fresh regulatory steps aimed at improving airport safety. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released a set of new draft rules to address long-standing concerns about obstructions like buildings and trees near airports. The Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 2025, were published on June 18, 2025, under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and are open to public comment for 21 days. What's new in the proposed rules? These new Draft Rules are set to replace the 1994 Rules, which allowed the Deputy or Joint Director General of Civil Aviation to order the removal of height violations. Under the older framework, aggrieved individuals could appeal the order, and non-compliance meant the District Collector could step in. The 2025 Draft Rules propose faster and more enforceable actions. Officials will be authorised to issue notices, carry out daytime inspections, and order demolition of non-compliant structures. Property owners will have 60 days to submit structural documents, and action can be taken if safety norms are breached. Importantly, only those who comply will be eligible for compensation under Section 22 of the 2024 Act. Unauthorized structures built after the notification date won't qualify. The Investigation report yet to be made public on Friday about the cause of Air India crash is focusing on the movement of the engine fuel control switches. The co-pilot mistakenly cut off fuel supply to one of the engines and the Captain activated Auto pilot mode at a wrong altd Concerns over due process and consultation time While the rules aim to strengthen aviation safety, they have been criticised for not including procedural safeguards mandated by the Supreme Court in demolition-related matters. The short 21-day window for public feedback has also raised concerns about the reactive nature of the policy process. Why proactive regulation is critical The crash of the Air India flight in Ahmedabad has once again highlighted how aviation regulations are often reactive. A historical example—the US President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism in 1990 criticised American aviation regulators for waiting for tragedies before acting. The same risk exists here. Aviation rules must be grounded in research, account for technological developments, and include transparency through public consultation. As the upcoming crash report may reveal more gaps, this framework must be built with resilience and adaptability in draft rules are a step forward, but lasting change will need foresight, public trust, and evidence-based regulation beyond crisis response.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Air India crash expected soon: Govt's new demolition rules to target buildings & trees near airports spark debate; details here
With the Air India crash investigation report expected soon, attention has turned to the government's fresh regulatory steps aimed at improving airport safety. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released a set of new draft rules to address long-standing concerns about obstructions like buildings and trees near airports. The Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 2025, were published on June 18, 2025, under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and are open to public comment for 21 days. What's new in the proposed rules? These new Draft Rules are set to replace the 1994 Rules, which allowed the Deputy or Joint Director General of Civil Aviation to order the removal of height violations. Under the older framework, aggrieved individuals could appeal the order, and non-compliance meant the District Collector could step in. The 2025 Draft Rules propose faster and more enforceable actions. Officials will be authorised to issue notices, carry out daytime inspections, and order demolition of non-compliant structures. Property owners will have 60 days to submit structural documents, and action can be taken if safety norms are breached. Importantly, only those who comply will be eligible for compensation under Section 22 of the 2024 Act. Unauthorized structures built after the notification date won't qualify. Concerns over due process and consultation time While the rules aim to strengthen aviation safety, they have been criticised for not including procedural safeguards mandated by the Supreme Court in demolition-related matters. The short 21-day window for public feedback has also raised concerns about the reactive nature of the policy process. Why proactive regulation is critical The crash of the Air India flight in Ahmedabad has once again highlighted how aviation regulations are often reactive. A historical example—the US President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism in 1990 criticised American aviation regulators for waiting for tragedies before acting. The same risk exists here. Aviation rules must be grounded in research, account for technological developments, and include transparency through public consultation. As the upcoming crash report may reveal more gaps, this framework must be built with resilience and adaptability in draft rules are a step forward, but lasting change will need foresight, public trust, and evidence-based regulation beyond crisis response.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Before Air India crash report comes, we must look into the new aviation rules
Written by Lakshita Handa and Pragya Singh In light of the tragic flight crash in Ahmedabad earlier last month – the Air India crash report is about to come — the issue of infrastructural safety in and around airports has once again been brought to the fore. While the crash has raised larger questions of aeroplane safety protocol and technical compliance, it serves as an important reminder to decongest and remove physical obstructions near airports. In light of this, the Civil Aviation Ministry has put out the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 2025, in the public domain for comments. These Draft Rules, notified on June 18, 2025, under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (2024 Act), are currently open to public comments for a 21-day period. Notably, the Draft Rules replace the Aircraft (Demolition of obstructions caused by Buildings and Trees, etc.) Rules, 1994 (1994 Rules), which were also formulated to address the issue of obstruction in aerodrome areas. The 1994 Rules empowered a Joint Director General or a Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation to order the demolition of a building or the cutting of a tree, particularly where such a building or tree exceeded the stipulated height. The 1994 Rules allowed an aggrieved person, affected by such an order, to make an appeal to the Director General of Civil Aviation, whilst placing an obligation on the concerned person to comply with the order within a 60-day period. They also stated that in the event of a failure to comply with the order, the requisite action could be carried out by the District Collector. In contrast to the 1994 Rules, the Draft Rules enable authorities to take prompt action against buildings or structures that exceed the prescribed height in designated aerodrome zones. This includes empowering officers with the legal authority to issue notices, conduct physical on-site verifications during daylight hours and escalate non-compliant structures for demolition. Under the Rules, owners notified to modify or demolish their structures will be required to submit structural details within 60 days. Where such a building, tree or structure is found to violate safety norms, the Director General of Civil Aviation may order its demolition, trimming or reduction in height. All in all, the process will mirror the process used for removing unauthorised constructions. It is further clarified that compensation under Section 22 of the 2024 Act will only be available to those who comply with official orders. However, any unauthorised structures constructed after the notification date will not be entitled to such compensation. Despite the significant impact that such Draft Rules will have on the infrastructure surrounding the airports across the country, they do not factor in guidelines pertaining to due process, notice and show cause laid down by the Supreme Court of India in In Re: Directions in the matter of demolition of structures. The short period of 21 days for receiving public comments on the Draft Rules also signifies a reactive tilt to the policy-making process. The US President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism, in their 1990 report, harshly criticised the Federal Aviation Administration for being 'far too reactive to problems instead of anticipating them'. The field of civil aviation is particularly susceptible to a model of regulation driven by crises. However, any regulation in this field has the capacity to affect human lives on a massive scale, as well as have enormous economic repercussions for the State. Civil aviation policies should be drafted based on meticulous research and be adaptable. Factors such as risk and safety management, technological advancements, sustainability, public health, security and international standards should be accounted for in the policy-making process. As these policies have a considerable impact on the public, thorough public consultation at various stages of drafting should be undertaken to maintain transparency. Lastly, the policies should have resilience as their core metric to ensure that the laws and regulations drafted not only address the issues based on the evidence of the past but can also be future-facing and dynamic. Whatever the Air India crash report might indicate, this should be the objective. The authors are Senior Resident Fellows at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Views are personal
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre notifies draft rules to clear obstacles near airports
The central government issued draft rules on Wednesday to regulate and remove physical obstructions around airports, six days after the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the deadliest in three decades, as authorities separately spoke of plans to survey structures near the city's airport for potential safety violations. The Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees etc.) Rules, 2025, were notified on June 18 under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and are open for public feedback for 21 days. The rules aim to replace the three-decade-old Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 1994. Under the proposed framework, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will have expanded authority to take action against any structure violating height restrictions around airports. 'Any building or tree that violates notified height restrictions around airports may face demolition or height reduction orders from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),' the draft rules state. The regulations establish a detailed enforcement mechanism where airport authorities must notify owners of potential violations and conduct physical verification. Property owners will be required to submit structural details within 60 days, with a possible 60-day extension if granted. 'If the DGCA determines, after providing an opportunity for a hearing, that a building or tree violates safety norms, an order can be issued for its demolition, trimming, or reduction in height,' the draft states. In cases of non-compliance, district collectors will be authorised to enforce demolition procedures, treating violations as unauthorised construction under local law. 'On receiving the report from the officer-in-charge of the aerodrome, the district collector shall carry out forthwith the demolition of the building or the cutting of the tree or reduction in height of the building... in the same manner and by the same procedure as is followed in case of demolition of any unauthorized construction in his district,' the rules specify. The draft rules come as authorities prepare to conduct a comprehensive survey around Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport following last week's crash. According to PTI, Ahmedabad district collector Sujeet Kumar told reporters that 'a survey of areas surrounding the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here will be conducted by the officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Civil Aviation department.' 'Once the survey gets over, subsequent necessary work will be initiated,' Kumar said. The collector cited the new draft rules as providing the framework for potential action against structures posing threats to aircraft safety. Some analysts cautioned that while many airports around the country have buildings nearby that violate height norms, following through with an actual demolition will be hard. 'While it's easy to make rules, it will be next to impossible to implement them,' given the scale of non-conforming structures, said Mark Martin, founder and CEO at Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory firm, Bloomberg reported. An official at the Delhi airport said a survey will be initiated to identify obstructions in the Capital by both the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the directorate general of civil aviation. 'The Air Traffic Control (ATC) directly reports to the AAI and so it will share information on possible obstructions. Both AAI and DGCA will also do their own surveys,' said the official, pointing to a similar exercise done in 2018 when 369 obstructions were identified, including trees, poles and buildings. 'Subsequently, AAI also took action against these obstructions,' the airport official added. Compensation provisions are limited under the proposed new framework. 'Compensation may be available but only for compliant or pre-existing structures. New constructions violating notified height restrictions will not be eligible,' the rules specify. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a medical hostel complex in Meghaninagar area moments after take-off on June 12, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard and 29 others on the ground. The aircraft departed Ahmedabad airport at 1:39 PM on June 12, with the pilot issuing a Mayday distress call shortly after take-off before the plane crashed into the medical complex located outside the airport compound.
