Following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which killed hundreds in June 2025, citi zens residing near Dabolim airport are now preparing for renewed legal action af ter the High Court of Bom bay at Goa disposed of a contempt petition regard ing illegal constructions in the airport's funnel zone. Disposing of contempt petition 1253 of 2025, the court directed petitioners to approach the Flag Officer of the Navy for a resolution, prompting residents to consider appealing to the Supreme Court or filing a substitution petition. “We permit the petition er to prefer a detailed rep resentation to Flag Officer giving the details of the structure and we expect the Flag Officer to take cog nisance thereof and issue appropriate directions for their demolition through the Planning Authority,” read the judgment of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Ashish Chavan. The Flag Officer had in an affidavit filed during the hearing of the contempt petition brought to the no tice of the courts that out of 100 illegal structures red flagged in the funnel zone of the airport, action was tak en on only 17. The DGCA, according to the affidavit of the Flag Of ficer, had asked for a re-sur vey of the 100 illegal struc tures and has yet to react after the same was submit ted on 21/12/2023. “It is respectfully submit ted that, since the matter pertains to several struc tures and also the require ment of compliance with The Aircraft (Demolition of obstructions caused by the Building or trees etc) Rules 1994, the completion of sur vey of the said structures took some time. Upon com pletion of survey and after submitting the final report to DGCA, the DGCA reject ed the same and directed to conduct the resurvey. The resurvey has also been now conducted and the report has again been submitted to DGCA and now the final orders are awaited from DGCA,” read the affidavit submitted by the Naval Flag officer during the court pro ceedings. (Read O Heraldo edition dated June 24, 2025 DGCA rejected Navy survey). Life for those living around Dabolim airport has not been the same after the ill-fated crash of the Air In dia plane from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick airport which killed 242 passengers on board and 19 on ground.
“We have been going to court for so many years because of our safety and that of the people living around. We had to approach the High Court with a contempt petition because the orders of our PIL were ignored. Illegal constructions in the funnel zone have increased instead of decreasing,” stat ed contempt petitioner Alexander Michael. A survey of the Funnel Zone has indicated that, despite a letter by Flag Officer commanding in June 30, 2018 to the Chief Secretary of Goa wherein it clearly stated: “This Headquarters had taken up issues about construction of a seven floor building which is ongoing at Survey No. 63/6 behind Dabolim Railway Station and it is approximately 350 m from runaway strip and that the building falls in transitional Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) - the struc ture still stands.” Whilst the High Court judges have directed the petitioner to meet the Flag Officer, Michael believes the latter, “should adopt a more proactive approach when dealing with ille gal constructions in the funnel zone that directly impacts flights.” “There are so many buildings behind the airport walls against which no action has been taken even though the High Court had ordered for their demolition,” lamented Mi chael. Sanjay Redkar believes that the Navy should have taken the matter more seriously. “I think they (Navy) appear to be compromised. I do not understand why they keep quiet about illegalities in the Funnel Zone. I hope another Ah medabad does not take place here,” said Redkar. The Navy, on condition of anonymity, has another take. “As naval authorities our role is to find out illegalities and pass them on to the DGCA and other authorities. We are not empowered to demolish. What are we to do when the DGCA questions our own work?” asked a senior naval of ficer on condition of anonymity. “Construction activities can be seen taking place around the airport every day. From big buildings to small ones an ything can be built now and it is really difficult to believe that the Navy can do little about it. After all, they are sup posed to be the protectors of our nation. They shouldn’t need any court,” reasoned Swati Karapurkar.