IGI’s runway can be used at night: HC

After three PILs filed by residents of Vasant Kunj and Bijwasan village and a private hospital alleged severe noise pollution due to night operations on Runway 29,DGCA had submitted an affidavit in court saying Runway 29 would not be used from 10 pm to 6 am. The submission had come after the court issued a strict directive to stop flight operations at night due to inconvenience caused to the residents staying nearby.

The authorities had recently moved a plea to allow them to use Runway 29,as Runway 28 required excessive repairs — “rehabilitation”,in technical terms — and needed to be closed down during the process. According to the counsel,the repairs would take almost five months.

On Wednesday,the counsel for Vasant Kunj residents countered the plea and said Runway 29 should not be allowed to operate during night and that DGCA,airport operators DIAL and other authorities could manage air traffic by carrying out repairs on Runway 28 in parts.

The counsel also said the authorities were seeking five months’ time unreasonably.

But appearing for the airport authorities,senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed the contention and said the work required excessive repairs and could not be done in parts. “Moreover,we would not like to prolong the repairs and keep one of our runways suspended for long because that is bound to create problems for us,” Singhvi contended.

Justice Lokur said neither the court nor the residents’ counsel could challenge experts’ opinion on the kind of work required on the runway,and the time within which it could be completed. “Leave it to the judgment of experts — in our view,this is a matter best left to their expertise,” the court said. “Wherever necessary,the respondents can use Runway 29 during night.” The Bench,however,asked the authorities to take noise-mitigating measures “seriously”.