In the aftermath of the Ahmedabad air crash, the central government issued draft rules to regulate and remove obstructions around airports, but a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ‘final order’ from 2023 shows that it had rejected a detailed Indian Navy survey that highlighted buildings flouting height norms around Dabolim airport.
This inaction on the part of DGCA could be leaving both aircraft and buildings that fall within the crucial funnel zone of the airport in danger — something that should be of grave concern after the Ahmedabad disaster.
What has renewed concerns is one crucial argument behind DGCA’s rejection of the Navy survey — that homeowners were not present when the inspections were conducted. Navy officials have argued that notices were duly sent to homeowners to be present during the survey, and their absence should not invalidate the findings.
In DGCA’s final order dated August 11, 2023, addressed to the commanding officer of INS Hansa, Dabolim Airport, the DGCA pointed out a mismatch in the official obstacle survey, and that the method used to identify them was unsatisfactory.