core sector communique

Civil Aviation Ministry Simplifies Byelaws for Regulating Building Activities Around Airports

In a significant decision that will help a large number of people living in areas near airports, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ajit Singh has approved changes in the byelaws regulating building activities around airports. The changes were recommended by a committee constituted by the Minister and headed by a senior Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The committee looked into all aspects related to procedure of issuing “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) for building operation including aeronautical study, instrumentation etc., keeping in pace with the changes in time, circumstances, technology and requirements. It also went into procedure of regulating buildings at the airports in other countries including USA and UK. The changes will bring greater transparency and efficiency in the processes of approval for constructing buildings around airports and will simplify the present cumbersome procedure significantly reducing time taken for sanction of building maps. The new procedure will be institutionalized at three levels as follows: Level-1: Airports Authority of India (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. Level-2: For buildings whose height exceeds the height indicated in the zoning map, the designated officer/office of AAI would assess the obstructions to be caused by the proposed building when the applicant makes a reference to it, with the recommendations of the Local/Municipal Body. The designated officer/office in this case after a detailed analysis of the proposed building and discussion with the Local/Municipal Body to explore if the design and orientation of the proposed building can suitably be amended to meet the regulations, may give a NOC to the Local/Municipal Body if the building meets the requirement of existing regulations. Otherwise, the designated officer/office of the AAI will not issue NOC and the building exceeding the height as indicated in the zoning map shall not be approved by the Local/ Municipal body. Level-3: In case the NOC for the building has not been issued by the designated officer/office of the AAI, the applicant has a choice to appeal to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, against the order of the designated officer/office of the AAI. The Ministry of Civil Aviation shall constitute a committee and define a procedure for disposal of such applications including the requirement of aeronautical study. Shri Singh has also approved the recommendations regarding installation of new navigation equipment at the airports. As per the decision, in case an Aerodrome Operator or Air Navigation Service provider plans to install any new navigation equipment, it would consult the local planning authorities to identify the most suitable site for installation to minimize its impact on any planned development activity in surrounding areas. The Central Government through appropriate amendment in the existing regulations would issue directions to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to incorporate new procedure in their own regulations/ byelaws. The AAI, then in collaboration with local authorities will implement new rules and procedures.