No AAI nod needed if height within limit

In a significant decision helping a large number of people living in areas near airports, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has approved changes in the byelaws regulating building activities around airports.

This will mean a lot of people, who build homes across the airport within the prescribed height limit, will not have to come to aviation authorities for permission.

"As of now everyone who builds any structure near the airport, irrespective of the fact whether it is within the height limit or not, has to come to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for approvals. With these rules, anyone who is trying to build anything beyond the prescribed limit will only have to come to AAI," said a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official, who did not want to be identified.

This will remove a lot of trouble for people who had to unnecessary come to AAI for permissions.

The changes were recommended by a committee constituted by the minister and headed by Alok Sinha, joint secretary in the ministry.

According to the new law, AAI would prepare colour-coded zoning maps in a grid format for each airport and hand over them to the local/municipal body after certifying it.

"Local/municipal body will be empowered to sanction construction of buildings as per their own building regulations/byelaws below the surfaces indicated in the zoning maps around each airport. Local/municipal body after sanctioning the building map shall submit its copy to the designated officer/office of the AAI within a period of one month," a release from the ministry said.

The ministry has also approved the recommendations regarding installation of new navigation equipment at the airports.

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