HC puts Centre on notice on unsafe airports

The petitioner,a city-based advocate G R Mohan,stated that as per relevant aircraft rules,an aerodrome should have a valid licence for flight operations. However,some of the airports had not renewed their licence and the DGCA was still permitting them to operate the airports in violation of the rules,he contended.

The court,however,declined to grant an interim stay of operations at the old HAL Airport and Bajpe airports in Mangalore whose licences according to the petitioner had expired in March 2006 and June 2010 respectively.

A Division Bench comprising Justice V G Sabhahit and Justice A S Bopanna issued the notices to Civil Aviation Secretary,Director General Civil Aviation,and Chairman of Airport Authority of India on the petition.

The petitioner submitted that the HAL airport was still being used for VVIP and VIP passengers though the licence had expired in 2006.

He also sought formulation of proper guidelines by the Civil Aviation Ministry regarding payment of compensation in case of death or injury due to air crash and loss of baggage during air travel.

The norms were needed as all airlines were generally insured with private companies which do not have proper guidelines for the payment of compensation.