Height issue: AAI wants pedestal off statue near airport

Senior officials said AAI has also asked the Trust to temporarily stop work on the construction of a Buddha statue,slated to be 54 feet tall,at Birla Kanan. The AAI has sought complete details of the plan before it is given a go-ahead,according to officials.

Officials said the NoC was issued to the Trust for the Shiva statue to be 74 feet above the ground. But the statue stands at a total of 80 feet — 65 feet of the statue plus the 15-foot pedestal.

After the IGI Airport’s new runway,29-11,became operational in 2008,the statue has created an obstruction for pilots approaching the runway from the east. Pilots say they have to keep the Shiva statue in mind before beginning the final descent as it lies in the funnel area of landing,or the point where an aircraft begins to descend.

While landing,pilots need to fly above the obstruction,keeping in mind the normal descent profile located at a displacement of 1,400 metres from the tip of the runway.

This has meant only 2,820 metres of the runway are actually used while landing from the east.

“We are taking a very strong view against any such tall structures coming up near operational runways at the IGI Airport,as they can be dangerous for an aircraft preparing to land,” a senior AAI official said. “Under the rules laid down by AAI,any construction within a specified vicinity of the airport needs to get a NoC to ensure it does not hamper aircraft movement.”

A senior air traffic control official said,“Even if just the pedestal of the Shiva statue is removed to bring the entire structure down to the height specified in the NoC,it would reduce the displacement by at least 400 metres.”